Grisham, John

The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town

Average customer rating:

The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Legal System | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Penology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Murder & Mayhem | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

True Crime | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Cross
The Collectors
For One More Day
Wild Fire
Judge & Jury

ASIN: 0385517238
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Amazon.com

John Grisham tackles nonfiction for the first time with The Innocent Man, a true tale about murder and injustice in a small town (that reads like one of his own bestselling novels). The Innocent Man chronicles the story of Ron Williamson, how he was arrested and charged with a crime he did not commit, how his case was (mis)handled and how an innocent man was sent to death row. Grisham's first work of nonfiction is shocking, disturbing, and enthralling--a must read for fiction and nonfiction fans. We had the opportunity to talk with John Grisham about the case and the book, read his responses below. --Daphne Durham <hr noshade="noshade" size="1" class="bucketDivider" /><div class="bucket"> <b class="h1"> 20 Second Interview: A Few Words with John Grisham

<img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/books/promos/a-plus/grisham.1.jpg" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="0" align="left"> Q: After almost two decades of writing fiction, what compelled you to write non-fiction, particularly investigative journalism?
A: I was never tempted to write non-fiction, primarily because it's too much work. However, obviously, I love a good legal thriller, and the story of Ron Williamson has all the elements of a great suspenseful story.

Q: Why this case?
A: Ron Williamson and I are about the same age and we both grew up in small towns in the south. We both dreamed of being major league baseball players. Ron had the talent, I did not. When he left a small town in 1971 to pursue his dreams of major league glory, many thought he would be the next Mickey Mantle, the next great one from the state of Oklahoma. The story of Ron ending up on Death Row and almost being executed for a murder he did not commit was simply too good to pass up.

Q: How did you go about your research?
A: I started with his family. Ron is survived by two sisters who took care of him for most of his life. They gave me complete access to the family records, photographs, Ron's mental health records, and so on. There was also a truckload of trial transcripts, depositions, appeals, etc., that took about 18 months to organize and review. Many of the characters in the story are still alive and I traveled to Oklahoma countless times to interview them.

Q: Did your training as a lawyer help you?
A: Very much so. It enabled me to understand the legal issues involved in Ron's trial and his appeals. It also allowed me, as it always does, to be able to speak the language with lawyers and judges.

Q: Throughout your book you mention, The Dreams of Ada: A True Story of Murder, Obsession, and a Small Town. How did you come across that book, and how did it impact your writing The Innocent Man?
A: Several of the people in Oklahoma I met mentioned The Dreams of Ada to me, and I read it early on in the process. It is an astounding book, a great example of true crime writing, and I relied upon it heavily during my research. Robert Mayer, the author, was completely cooperative, and kept meticulous notes from his research 20 years earlier. Many of the same characters are involved in his story and mine.

Q: You take on some pretty controversial and heated topics in your book--the death penalty, prisoner's rights, DNA analysis, police conduct, and more--were any of your own beliefs challenged by this story and its outcome?
A: None were challenged, but my eyes were open to the world of wrongful convictions. Even as a former criminal defense attorney, I had never spent much time worrying about wrongful convictions. But, unfortunately, they happen all the time in this country, and with increasing frequency.

Q: So many of the key players in this case are either still in office or practicing attorneys. Many family members and friends still live in the same small town. How do you think The Innocent Man will impact this community and other small rural towns as they struggle with the realities of the justice system?
A: Exonerations seem to be happening weekly. And with each one of them, the question is asked--how can an innocent man be convicted and kept in prison for 20 years? My book is the story of only one man, but it is a good example of how things can go terribly wrong with our judicial system. I have no idea how the book will be received in the small town of Ada, Oklahoma, or any other town.

Q: What do you hope your readers will take away from The Innocent Man?
A: A better understanding of how innocent people can be convicted, and a greater concern for the need to reimburse and rehabilitate innocent men after they have been released.

<hr /="/" noshade="noshade" class="bucketDivider" size="1"> <div class="bucket"> <p clear="all">

Book Description

John Grisham’s first work of nonfiction, an exploration of small town justice gone terribly awry, is his most extraordinary legal thriller yet.

In the major league draft of 1971, the first player chosen from the State of Oklahoma was Ron Williamson. When he signed with the Oakland A’s, he said goodbye to his hometown of Ada and left to pursue his dreams of big league glory.

Six years later he was back, his dreams broken by a bad arm and bad habits—drinking, drugs, and women. He began to show signs of mental illness. Unable to keep a job, he moved in with his mother and slept twenty hours a day on her sofa.

In 1982, a 21-year-old cocktail waitress in Ada named Debra Sue Carter was raped and murdered, and for five years the police could not solve the crime. For reasons that were never clear, they suspected Ron Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz. The two were finally arrested in 1987 and charged with capital murder.

With no physical evidence, the prosecution’s case was built on junk science and the testimony of jailhouse snitches and convicts. Dennis Fritz was found guilty and given a life sentence. Ron Williamson was sent to death row.

If you believe that in America you are innocent until proven guilty, this book will shock you. If you believe in the death penalty, this book will disturb you. If you believe the criminal justice system is fair, this book will infuriate you.

Average customer rating:

The Client (Limited Edition)
John Grisham
Manufacturer: DoubleDay
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Pelican Brief
The Chamber
The Firm
A Time to Kill
The Rainmaker

ASIN: 0385470150
Release Date: 1993-03-01

Amazon.com

Mark Sway, age 11 but years wiser thanks to a drunken dad who abused his mom, is out in the woods behind his Memphis trailer park teaching his kid brother, Ricky, how to smoke Virginia Slims heisted from Mom's purse. He's a pretty upright kid--he's determined to protect his brother from drugs, and he once defended his mom with a baseball bat.

The dangers of smoking rapidly escalate when Mark glimpses a guy trying to commit suicide by carbon monoxide in his car nearby and tries to stop him. The guy is Jerome, a lawyer who tells Mark that his Mafia client has murdered Senator Boyd Boyette and buried him in the concrete under his garage in New Orleans. Then Jerome puts a bullet in his own head. Little Ricky flips out, and so does Barry the Blade Muldanno, who doesn't want blustery U.S. attorney Reverend Roy Foltrigg to find the corpse and bust him. Caught in a ruthless game between the Mob and the amoral authorities, Mark's family has no defense in the world except Reggie Love, a 50ish divorcée who has just turned her life around by becoming a lawyer. Does she have what it takes to help Mark beat the system? The life-or-death chase is on!

Mark has seen a lot of movies, and he sees life in cinematic terms. So does Grisham. Even if this novel had never been filmed, it would still be a really good, fast-paced movie. Its literary limitation is also its filmlike virtue: The Client is a rush.

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

With her sparkling voice and superb acting ability, Blair Brown gives an impressive reading of this John Grisham blockbuster. The story hinges on a young boy who gets an unwanted earful of murder, politics--and dangerous secrets about both--from a conscience-stricken mob lawyer bent on suicide. "I can tell you where the body is... the most notorious undiscovered corpse of our time." Just the kind of information most children don't need, especially when the snakeskin-wearing hit man finds out what he knows. Aside from musical cues scattered as superfluously as laugh tracks on a sitcom, the production quality is stellar, preserving the crispness of Blair's voice and the nuances of her excellent interpretation. (Running time: 6 hours, 4 cassettes) --George Laney

Book Description

In a weedy lot on the outskirts of memphis, two  boys watch a shiny Lincoln pull upt ot the  curb...Eleven-year-old Mark Sway and his younger brother  were sharing a forbidden cigarrette when a chance  encounter with a suicidal laywer left Mark knowing  a bloody and explosive secret: the whereabouts of  the most sought-after dead body in America.

Now Mark is caught between a  legal system gone mad and a mob killer desperate to  cover up his crime. And his only ally is a woman  named Reggie Love, who has been a lawyer for all of  four years.
Prosecutors are willing to break all the rules to make  Mark talk. The mob will stop at nothing to keep him  quiet. And Reggie will do anything to protect her  client -- even take a last, desperate gamble that  could win Mark his freedom... or cost them both  their lives.

Average customer rating:

The Broker
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Last Juror
State of Fear
Bleachers
The Summons
The Testament

ASIN: 0385340540
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Amazon.com

Before he was sent to federal prison for treason (among other things), Joel Backman was an extremely powerful man. Known as "the broker," Backman was a high roller--a lawyer making $10 million a year who could "open any door in Washington." That is, until he tried to broker a deal selling access to the world's most powerful satellite surveillance system to the highest bidder. When caught, Backman accepted prison as the one option that would keep him safe and alive, since the interested parties (the Israelis, the Saudis, the Russians, and the Chinese) were all itching to get their hands on his secrets at any cost. Little does he know that his own government has designs on accessing that information--or at least letting it die with him. Now, six years after his incarceration, the director of the CIA convinces a lame duck president to pardon Backman, and the broker becomes a free man--and an open target.

The Broker marries the best of John Grisham's many talents--his ability to immerse himself in the culture of small town life (in this case, Bologna, Italy), and his uncanny mastery of the chase. The first half of the book focuses on Backman's transformation from infamous power broker to helpless victim in his own game. Upon his release from prison, Backman is taken into "protective custody" and whisked off to Italy where he is assigned a new identity, and a tutor to help him blend in. Sure he is on the run, but some readers may feel that Backman's time spent in Bologna is a bit too leisurely--readers join him on an almost cinematic tour through the Italian town, complete with language and history lessons. Impatient readers will be happy to know that the final half of the novel is classic Grisham--a fast-paced, thrilling cat and mouse chase pitting Backman against the numerous agencies that want him dead--as the broker makes a move to take back his life. --Daphne Durham

<p clear="left"> <strong><font color="cc6600" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Exclusive Video Interview with John Grisham</font></strong> </span> <table cellpadding="4" border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="4">

Watch the interview (high bandwith)

Watch the interview (low bandwith)</li></td></td> </tr> </table> <p clear="left"> <strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="cc6600">Grisham: The Books</font></strong>

A Time to Kill, 1989

The Firm, 1991

The Pelican Brief, 1992

The Client, 1993

The Chamber, 1994

The Rainmaker, 1995</ul></td>

The Runaway Jury, 1996

The Partner, 1997

The Street Lawyer, 1998

The Testament, 1999

The Brethren, 2000

A Painted House, 2001</ul></td>

Skipping Christmas, 2001

The Summons, 2002

The King of Torts, 2003

Bleachers, 2003

The Last Juror, 2004

The Broker, 2005</ul></td> </tr> </table>

<strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="cc6600">Essential Grisham</font></strong>
Amazon Editor Favorites <table cellpadding="4" border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="4">

<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/044023722X.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
A Painted House</td> </tr>

<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/038542471X.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
The Client</td>

<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/044022165X.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
The Rainmaker</td>

<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0440214041.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
The Pelican Brief</td> </tr> </table>

</!-- end6pak -->

<strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="cc6600">Bestselling Grisham</font></strong>
Amazon Customer Favorites <table cellpadding="4" border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="4">

<tr class="tiny" valign="top" align="center"> <td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/044024157X.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
The Last Juror</td>

<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0385508417.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
Skipping Christmas</td>

<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0440242002.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
Bleachers</td> </tr>

<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0440234743.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
The Testament</td>

<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0440224764.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
The Partner</td>

<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0440241537.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
The King of Torts</td> </tr> </table>

</!-- end6pak -->

<strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="cc6600">If You Like Grisham, You'll Love...</font></strong>

John Lescroart

Richard North Patterson

David Baldacci</ul></td>

Lisa Scottoline

Robert Crais

Michael Crichton</ul></td>

Harlan Coben

Dennis Lehane

Ken Follett</ul></td> </tr> </table>

<strong><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="cc6600">Best Grisham Books on DVD</font></strong>

<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0790731525.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
The Pelican Brief</td>

<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6304712952.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
The Client</td> </tr>

<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6305181810.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
The Rainmaker</td>

<td><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0783226942.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg">
The Chamber</td> </tr> </table>

</!-- end6pak -->

Book Description

In his final hours in the Oval Office, the outgoing President grants a controversial last-minute pardon to Joel Backman, a notorious Washington power broker who has spent the last six years hidden away in a federal prison. What no one knows is that the President issues the pardon only after receiving enormous pressure from the CIA. It seems Backman, in his power broker heyday, may have obtained secrets that compromise the world’s most sophisticated satellite surveillance system.

Backman is quietly smuggled out of the country in a military cargo plane, given a new name, a new identity, and a new home in Italy. Eventually, after he has settled into his new life, the CIA will leak his whereabouts to the Israelis, the Russians, the Chinese, and the Saudis. Then the CIA will do what it does best: sit back and watch. The question is not whether Backman will survive—there is no chance of that. The question the CIA needs answered is, who will kill him?

From the Hardcover edition.

Average customer rating:

The Testament
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Island Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Legal | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Street Lawyer
The Brethren
The Partner
The Summons
The Rainmaker

ASIN: 0440234743
Release Date: 1999-12-28

Amazon.com

Troy Phelan, a 78-year-old eccentric and the 10th-richest man in America, is about to read his last will and testament, divvying up an estate worth $11 billion. Phelan's three ex-wives, their grasping spawn, a legion of lawyers, several psychiatrists, and a plethora of sound technicians wait breathlessly, all eyes glued to digital monitors as they watch the old man read his verdict. But Phelan shocks everyone with a bizarre, last-gasp attempt to redistribute the spoils, setting in motion a legal morality tale of a contested will, sin, and redemption.

Our hero, Nate O'Riley--a washed-up, alcoholic litigator with two ruined marriages in his wake and the IRS on his tail--is dispatched to the Brazilian wetlands in search of a mysterious heir named in the will. After a harrowing trip upriver to a remote settlement in the Pantanal, he encounters Rachel Lane, a pure-hearted missionary living with an indigenous tribe and carrying out "God's work." Rachel's grave dedication and kindness impress the jaded lawyer, so much that a nasty bout of dengue fever leads him to a vision that could change his life.

Back in the States, the legal proceedings drag on and Grisham has a high time with Phelan's money-hungry descendents, a regrettable bunch who squandered millions, married strippers, got druggy, and befriended the Mob. The youngest son, Ramble, is a multi-pierced, tattoo-covered malcontent with big dreams for his rock band, the Demon Monkeys. Will Nate get straight with Rachel's aid? Do the greedy heirs get theirs? What's the real legacy of a lifetime's work? The Testament is classic Grisham: a down-and-out lawyer, a lot of money, an action-packed pursuit, and the highest issues at stake. It's not just about great characters; it's about the question of what character is. --Rebekah Warren

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

Troy Phelan hates his greedy, spoiled children. The aging multibillionaire knows that they're circling like vultures as he waits to die. Phelan's surprising last will and testament names a heretofore unknown beneficiary--a missionary living deep in the wilds of Brazil. Nate O'Riley, a lawyer fresh from his fourth stay in rehab, is sent to find her. Along the way, he learns about God and himself, and he discovers that the dangers of alcohol pale in comparison with the perils of the jungle. This abridgment, though jumpy at times, flows smoothly thanks to actor Henry Leyva's polished performance. (Running time: 6 hours, 4 cassettes) --C.B. Delaney

Book Description

Heart of darkness...

In a plush Virginia office, a rich, angry old man is furiously rewriting his will. With his death just hours away, Troy Phelan wants to send a message to his children, his ex-wives, and his minions, a message that will touch off a vicious legal battle and transform dozens of lives.

Because Troy Phelan's new will names a sole surprise heir to his eleven-billion-dollar fortune: a mysterious woman named Rachel Lane, a missionary living deep in the jungles of Brazil.

Enter the lawyers. Nate O'Riley is fresh out of rehab, a disgraced corporate attorney handpicked for his last job: to find Rachel Lane at any cost. As Phelan's family circles like vultures in D.C., Nate is crashing through the Brazilian jungle, entering a world where money means nothing, where death is just one misstep away, and where a woman--pursued by enemies and friends alike--holds a stunning surprise of her own....

Average customer rating:

A Time to Kill
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Legal | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Firm
The Rainmaker
The Pelican Brief
The Chamber
The Client

ASIN: 0440211727
Release Date: 1992-06-01

Amazon.com

This addictive tale of a young lawyer defending a black Vietnam war hero who kills the white druggies who raped his child in tiny Clanton, Mississippi, is John Grisham's first novel, and his favorite of his first six. He polished it for three years and every detail shines like pebbles at the bottom of a swift, sunlit stream. Grisham is a born legal storyteller and his dialogue is pitch perfect.

The plot turns with jeweled precision. Carl Lee Hailey gets an M-16 from the Chicago hoodlum he'd saved at Da Nang, wastes the rapists on the courthouse steps, then turns to attorney Jake Brigance, who needs a conspicuous win to boost his career. Folks want to give Carl Lee a second medal, but how can they ignore premeditated execution? The town is split, revealing its social structure. Blacks note that a white man shooting a black rapist would be acquitted; the KKK starts a new Clanton chapter; the NAACP, the ambitious local reverend, a snobby, Harvard-infested big local firm, and others try to outmaneuver Jake and his brilliant, disbarred drunk of an ex-law partner. Jake hits the books and the bottle himself. Crosses burn, people die, crowds chant "Free Carl Lee!" and "Fry Carl Lee!" in the antiphony of America's classical tragedy. Because he's lived in Oxford, Mississippi, Grisham gets compared to Faulkner, but he's really got the lean style and fierce folk moralism of John Steinbeck. --Tim Appelo

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

With a chillingly calm, even delivery, Michael Beck, a regular Grisham reader (The Rainmaker, The Runaway Jury), turns the narrative of this disturbing tale of racism, ignorance, and brutality into an almost visceral experience. "Cobb strung a length of quarter inch ski rope over a limb ... he grabbed her and put the noose around her head." The story is frighteningly believable and expertly crafted around a horrible crime and the tragic consequences that follow. At times, Beck's character voices can be distracting, but his efforts are generally applied to good effect, adding another level of tension to this already suspenseful look at a small Mississippi town's struggle for justice. (Running time: 17 hours, 12 cassettes) --George Laney

Book Description

In this searing courtroom drama, best-selling  author John Grisham probes the savage depths of  racial violence... as he delivers a compelling tale  of uncertain justice in a small southern  town...

Clanton, Mississippi. The life of a  ten-year-old girl is shattered by two drunken and  remorseless young man. The mostly white town reacts  with shock and horror at the inhuman crime. Until  her black father acquires an assault rifle -- and  takes justice into his own outraged hands.

For ten days, as burning crosses and the crack of  sniper fire spread through the streets of  Clanton, the nation sits spellbound as young defense  attorney Jake Brigance struggles to save his  client's life... and then his own...

Average customer rating:

The Last Juror
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Legal | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Broker
Bleachers
The Partner
The Summons
The Testament

ASIN: 0385339682
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Amazon.com

In 1970, small town newspaper The Clanton Times went belly up. With financial assistance from a rich relative, it's purchased by 23-year-old Willie Traynor, formerly the paper's cub reporter. Soon afterward, his new business receives the readership boost it needs thanks to his editorial efforts and coverage of a particularly brutal rape and murder committed by the scion of the town's reclusive bootlegger family. Rather than shy from reporting on the subsequent open-and-shut trial (those who oppose the Padgitt family tend to turn up dead in the area's swampland), Traynor launches a crusade to ensure the unrepentant murderer is brought to justice. When a guilty verdict is returned, the town is relieved to find the Padgitt family's grip on the town did not sway the jury, though Danny Padgitt is sentenced to life in prison rather than death. But, when Padgitt is released after serving less than a decade in jail and members of the jury are murdered, Clanton once again finds itself at the mercy of its renegade family.

When it comes, the dénouement is no surprise; The Last Juror is less a story of suspense than a study of the often idyllic southern town of Clanton, Mississippi (the setting for Grisham's first novel, A Time to Kill). Throughout the nine years between Padgitt's trial and release, Traynor finds acceptance in Clanton, where the people "don't really trust you unless they trusted your grandfather." He grows from a long-haired idealist into another of the town's colorful characters--renovating an old house, sporting a bowtie, beloved on both sides of the color line, and the only person to have attended each of the town's 88 churches at least once. The Last Juror returns Grisham to the courtroom where he made his name, but those who enjoyed the warm sentiment of his recent novels (Bleachers, A Painted House) will still find much to love here. --Benjamin Reese

Book Description

In 1970, one of Mississippi’s more colorful weekly newspapers, <u>The Ford County Times</u>, went bankrupt. To the surprise and dismay of many, ownership was assumed by a 23-year-old college dropout, named Willie Traynor. The future of the paper looked grim until a young mother was brutally raped and murdered by a member of the notorious Padgitt family. Willie Traynor reported all the gruesome details, and his newspaper began to prosper.

The murderer, Danny Padgitt, was tried before a packed courthouse in Clanton, Mississippi. The trial came to a startling and dramatic end when the defendant threatened revenge against the jurors if they convicted him. Nevertheless, they found him guilty, and he was sentenced to life in prison.

But in Mississippi in 1970, “life” didn’t necessarily mean “life,” and nine years later Danny Padgitt managed to get himself paroled. He returned to Ford County, and the retribution began.

Average customer rating:

if only all Grisham's novels were this good...
The Rainmaker
One of Grisham's best.
David Beats Goliath, Remains Poor
Could have been a 5 rating

The Rainmaker
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Legal | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Chamber
The Partner
The Street Lawyer
The Testament
A Time to Kill

ASIN: 0385339607
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Amazon.com

Michael Beck (The Golden Seal, Xanadu), who seems to be making a career out of reading books on audio (A Time to Kill, The Runaway Jury), has returned with John Grisham's The Rainmaker, bringing the backwoods of Tennessee's legal world to life. His sultry, southern drawl animates the world of Rudy Baylor, an out-of-luck, budding lawyer who has more things going against him than bedraggled, disaster-magnet Joe from Lil' Abner. The law firm that hired Baylor was gobbled up by a larger firm just three weeks before his graduation, and now he has no job and no chance of finding one. To make matters worse, when he gets home there's an eviction notice, a process server, and a lawsuit waiting for him. What's a bumbling baby-lawyer to do? Get a case and some cold hard cash--fast. Baylor stumbles upon two possible jackpots: A tight-lipped widow with millions squirreled away and a young man whose life is cut short by a negligent insurance company. Baylor gets in over his head and finds himself up against a pack of superpower attorneys; losing could cost him his life and winning would make him a rainmaker cum laude. Grisham's knack for making tedious legalities interesting, coupled with Beck's gift for shifting in and out character like a Mercedes roadster, makes for an exciting, entertaining listen. Running time: 360 minutes.

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

The supple voice and deft narrative skills of Frank Muller are an excellent match for this tremendously popular courtroom thriller. With subtle vocal changes, accents, and thoughtful interpretation, Muller helps elevate the drama and suspense of this fascinating tale, which pits a small-time rookie lawyer against the power and influence of a corrupt insurance company. Muller's talent gives life to the entire cast: from apathetic law students to slippery corporate lawyers and heartbroken senior citizens. "It's simple... they're a bunch of crooks," exclaims the young lawyer's first clients, an elderly couple bitter over being swindled. "They think we're simple, ignorant trash with no money to fight 'em." Battling his instinct to agree, he sets out to defend their rightful claims and finds himself enmeshed in a suspenseful case of ruthless intimidation and deadly criminal behavior. (Running time: 17 hours, 12 cassettes) --George Laney

Book Description

John Grisham's five novels -- A Time To Kill, The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client, and The Chamber -- have been number one best-sellers, and have a combined total of 47 million copies in print. Now, inThe Rainmaker, Grisham returns to the courtroom for the first time since A Time To Kill, and weaves a riveting tale of legal intrigue and corporate greed. Combining suspense, narrative momentum, and humor as only John Grisham can, this is another spellbinding read from the most popular author of our time.

Grisham's sixth spellbinding novel of legal intrigue and corporate greed displays all of the intricate plotting, fast-paced action, humor, and suspense that have made him the most popular author of our time. In his first courtroom thriller since A Time To Kill, John Grisham tells the story of a young man barely out of law school who finds himself taking on one of the most powerful, corrupt, and ruthless companies in America -- and exposing a complex, multibillion-dollar insurance scam. In hs final semester of law school Rudy Baylor is required to provide free legal advice to a group of senior citizens, and it is there that he meets his first "clients," Dot and Buddy Black. Their son, Donny Ray, is dying of leukemia, and their insurance company has flatly refused to pay for his medical treatments. While Rudy is at first skeptical, he soon realizes that the Blacks really have been shockingly mistreated by the huge company, and that he just may have stumbled upon one of the largest insurance frauds anyone's ever seen -- and one of the most lucrative and important cases in the history of civil litigation. The problem is, Rudy's flat broke, has no job, hasn't even passed the bar, and is about to go head-to-head with one of the best defense attorneys -- and powerful industries -- in America.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

if only all Grisham's novels were this good..........2007-06-11

Rudy Baylor hasn't even passed the bar yet. but he's about to get the case of a lifetime. Insurance company Great Benefit has committed a possible malpractice in repeatedly denying the claims of Donny Ray Black, a 21-year old suffering from severe leukemia who doesn't have very long at all to live. Not only will they not recognize their claims, but they won't pay out any insurance money for Donny Ray to get treatment. Somehow, this case falls into Rudy's lap, and he's determined to get these people the settlement they deserve. But since he's been fired from two different law firms in the span of about a month, he's a bit strapped for luck- not to mention cash. Soon, not only does he have to deal with the rigors of a trial that has caught national attention, but he also has to haggle with an aging landlord who views Rudy as her own personal lawn workhorse, a boss with less than scrupulous business practices, and a young beautiful woman who has fallen hopelessly in love with him- and has a brutally abusive husband to boot. If Rudy ever feels in over his head, it's probably because he is!!

The Rainmaker is to me Grisham's best novel yet. It's the only novel from Grisham that I've ever been able to laugh out loud at (which I did in multiple parts) and even cry at (although I do admit I was ecstatic when Rudy killed Cliff, Kelly's abusive husband; he's the only character in the novel I wanted to see murdered, at least similar to the way he treated Kelly. So yes, I was happy when he got offed). If only Grisham's other novels were this good, I'd be reviewing them like this one: only five hours after I finished the last page.

The Rainmaker.......2007-06-09

John Grisham certainly knows how to write a book. This is absolutely one of his very best.

One of Grisham's best........2007-05-31

John Grisham is one of the best authors of this era and this book is proof to that fact. He is very good at devolping characters and plots without the need to use reaccuring characters. The story is a perfect balance of a believable story and a thrilling legal battle. Recommended to any Grisham reader, and if you haven't read a Grisham novel then this is a perfect book to start with (along with The Firm and A Time to Kill). Enjoy

David Beats Goliath, Remains Poor.......2007-01-09

"The Rainmaker" is a modern-day "David vs. Goliath" story in which the reader can't help but cheer for David - Rudy Baylor, about to graduate from a nondescript law school with neither job nor money.

Rudy accidentally attains two multi-million dollar cases within minutes of each other while staffing a free clinic as part of his coursework. The first involves a somewhat batty elderly widow who wants to revise her will to cut out relatives who have paid her no attention, and the second is a lawsuit against a major health insurer for failing to cover a bone marrow transplant that might have saved a young man's life.

Despite being double-crossed by a legal firm that promises Rudy a paralegal job in return for his lawsuit case (Rudy is let go before being put on the payroll). facing a judge biased towards insurance companies (dies, is replaced by another biased against them), facing a five-man legal team from a top law firm with no experience of his own, being temporarily distracted by potential arson and murder charges stemming from his first "employer's" office burning down, support staff consisting solely of "paralawyer" assistant who has given up trying to pass the bar after failing six times, and a defendant that withholds information and lies, Rudy manages to take a serious case of insurance company abuse and win a $50 million punitive award, with the part-time help of a former law school professor and a couple of other private attorneys after the same firm. The "bad news" is that the company almost immediately declares bankruptcy, and its president is arrested for looting its assets.

As for the "rich" widow, Rudy's assistant finds out that the fortune's almost entirely non-existent - so no money there either. The good news, however, is that her relatives are temporarily fooled, and Miss Birdie temporarily receives all the attention she ever wanted.

One more loose string - early in "The Rainmaker" we learn Rudy has lost his law-school girlfriend to her former beau (higher-class); fortunately, he wins his new love at the end - after getting her out of an unhappy marriage and a manslaughter charge vs. her abusive husband.

Outstanding!

Could have been a 5 rating.......2007-01-02

The author expertly crafts the complex stuggles of a law school student graduating and passing his bar exam and then taking on his first cases. The book has incredible one liner humor that stopped me im my reading tracks and had me laugh out loud. The characters inthis book are colorful and you want to know whats going to happen to them. The reason why I didnt concluse with giving this a 5 rating is that , the author too hurriedly sums it all up at the end and leaves the reader, me, with a sense of 'C'mon -- is that all you're gonna give me as your audience here!' So thats the disappointment. This author is supposed to do better than this and it fails in that way.

Average customer rating:

Exemplary
Grisham is laughing all the way to the bank
On Track
It was somewhat believealbe and very predictable
The Partner

The Partner
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Legal | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Street Lawyer
The Testament
The Broker
The Rainmaker
The Brethren

ASIN: 0440224764
Release Date: 1998-01-07

Amazon.com

Literary slugger John Grisham returns with a story about-- surprise!--a lawyer in trouble. Patrick Lanigan had been a young partner in a prominent Southern law firm. He had a beautiful wife, a new baby girl, and a bright future. Then one winter night Patrick was trapped in a burning car; the casket they buried held nothing but ashes.

A short distance away, Patrick watched his own burial then fled. A fortune was stolen from his ex-firm's offshore account. And Patrick ran, covering his tracks the whole way.

But, now, they've found him.

Book Description

They hired him.  They trusted him.  Now they don't want justice--they want revenge....

For four years, Patrick had often wondered how it would feel if they caught him.

Now he was terror-stricken.  Practically naked and strapped down like an animal, he knew the next few hours would be insufferable....

Once he was a well-liked, well-paid young partner in a thriving Mississippi law firm.  Then Patrick Lanigan stole ninety million dollars from his own firm--and ran for his life.  For four years, he evaded men who were rich, powerful, and would stop at nothing to find him.  Then, inevitably, on the edge of the Brazilian jungle, they finally tracked him down.

Now Patrick is coming home.  And in the Mississippi city where it all began, an extraordinary trial is about to begin.  As prosecutors circle like sharks, as Patrick's lawyer prepares his defense, as Patrick's lover prays for his deliverance and his former partners wait for their revenge, another story is about to emerge.  Because Patrick Lanigan, the most reviled white-collar criminal of his time, knows something that no one else in the world knows.

He knows the truth....

Customer Reviews:

Exemplary.......2007-03-29

I am only three quarters through this novel and if it ended there, I'd be completely satisfied already. There is surprise at every turn. The legal behind the scenes is superb. The characters, especially Patrick and Sandy keep you on the edge of your seat like in a real great movie show. The multiple identities are a real plus, not to mention how this reflects on our modern day legal system. Also recommended is the novel " The Den of Iniquity " by George Norton where he also has the scoop on legal America, though that story is a shorter read.

Grisham is laughing all the way to the bank.......2007-03-10

The book is predictable, and the ending only serves to acknowledge the failure of Grisham to establish a sensible and believable plot. Once you realize the entire premise of this book hangs by a thread you are forced to contemplate the alternatives, and in doing so reveal the "twist" ending to yourself half-way through the book. Grisham wrote one or two decent books early on in his career and his continued success is a tribute to his ability to recycle formulaic plots into stories just original enough for most literate adults. Next time someone tells me to read the "new" Grishman book, I'll just say "No thanks.. I've already read the Firm."

On Track.......2007-02-05

Do not look here if you want a book report of THE PARTNER, but I will tell you my opinion of this John Grisham novel. Again, Grisham uses a troubled/scheming lawyer in dramatic fashion. I truely enjoyed the story from cover to cover. I was somewhat dissappointed in the ending, but every book cannot be exactly how we want it. If you are thinking of reading this book, it is an easy, enjoyable read.

It was somewhat believealbe and very predictable.......2007-01-05

I really don't get into a lot of John Grisham's novels. Mainly because the story's are all the same. Southern lawyer, freash and new, attempts to overcome an evil group either a business or other law professionals. So i took a chance with The Partner. Is it believable that one guy, who changed so much physically, that could learn espeonage, a foreign language, wiring money around foreign banks, and come up with the perfect way to fake his own death, plus steal $90 million and get away with it with no real charges? Plus the ending i saw it coming halfway through. And that really pissed me off. Mainly because for all that he did and learn and do, it didn't amount to much at the end. Especially when i was rooting for him to get away to his new life.

The Partner.......2006-12-22

Patrick Lanigan a.k.a. Danilo Silva is the most-wanted person in Mississippi. However, there are people looking for him everywhere. Danilo Silva is on the run. Not just from one person but thousands. His quick movements keep him one-step ahead of those that could be lurking around. However, will he realize that his running is making it hard for him to live, without shifty eyes that have to watch his surroundings?
Danilo takes many risks and is willing to take more just to get what he wants. Danilo is very prestigious in where he hides next, whether it's in North America, South America, or behind sunglasses. Though his movements are as quick as a squirrels, will he always be one-step ahead?
The Partner puts you on a ride, with the constant questioning of, "What's going to happen next?" that hums in your head like a favorite song. This book made me want to keep reading. I love this book because of its mysterious ways and twists, which made me never want it to end. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to dive into a great long reading. I am sure you will be hooked to John Grisham's books once you read this one.

Average customer rating:

Thought provoking
A Story of Power and Greed
recommend
Good, but not his best
Homeless 101, but Not a Novel

The Street Lawyer
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Legal | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Partner
The Testament
The Rainmaker
The Brethren
The Summons

ASIN: 0385339097
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Amazon.com

Looking for a romantic, hardboiled legal drama with a social conscience? Look no further. This audio version of John Grisham's blockbuster The Street Lawyer is narrated by Michael Beck (The Golden Seal, Xanadu), whose portrayal of the similarly named Michael Brock, with his squeaky-clean voice and crisp annunciation, is in perfect pitch with the corporate attorney's Ivy League image. Beck's believable, engaging performance is compelling, drawing the listener into Brock's charmed life and his decision to quit the firm after being held hostage by a disgruntled homeless man. Moved by a crisis of conscience, Brock seeks out the gravel-throated, streetwise legal aid counselor Mordecai Green. Green shows him the ropes, and Brock soon becomes part of the scenery he used to look down on from his plush 14th-floor office. Meanwhile, our hero is on the lam for stealing an important file that holds the secret to an illegal eviction--one that may lead to a murder charge. Faced with a failing marriage, a client on crack, and the threat of disbarment, Michael has plenty to think about as he and Mordecai negotiate a fair settlement for the victims of an inexcusable crime. (Running time: 360 minutes; 4 cassettes)

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

Award-winning narrator Frank Muller delivers a poignant and candid reading in this unabridged courtroom drama. Muller's first-person delivery embraces Michael Brock's complexities as he grapples with a burgeoning conscience. With Brock's revelation that "I am a human first, then a lawyer," he is transformed from a rigid middle-class male into a compassionate Robin Hood-like character. Muller flawlessly interchanges voices and gives a powerful delivery worthy of character who heroically sacrifices everything to become an advocate for the homeless. (Running time: 11 hours, 12 cassettes) --Gina Kaysen

Book Description

Michael was in a hurry. He was scrambling up the ladder at Drake & Sweeney, a giant D.C. law firm with eight hundred lawyers. The money was good and getting better; a partnership was three years away. He was a rising star with no time to waste, no time to stop, no time to toss a few coins into the cups of panhandlers. No time for a conscience.

But a violent encounter with a homeless man stopped him cold. Michael survived; his assailant did not. Who was this man? Michael did some digging, and learned that he was a mentally ill veteran who'd been in and out of shelters for many years. Then Michael dug a little deeper, and found a dirty secret, and the secret involved Drake & Sweeney.

The fast track derailed; the ladder collapsed. Michael bolted the firm and took a top-secret file with him. He landed in the streets, an advocate for the homeless, a street lawyer.

And a thief.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Thought provoking.......2007-05-14

this book will certainly change your way of thinking. Each page is full of thought provoking, emotional, eye opening events. I wasn't able to put the book down once I got into the story. this is definetely a must read if you are looking for something exciting, entertaining, and generally gives you a good feeling by the end of the story. As the story unfolds you become deeper and deeper intrigued. don't put it down and down hesitate to share this book with others once your've read it. Enjoy the read.

A Story of Power and Greed.......2007-05-02

I have to agree with the previous reviewer that, while this novel was storytelling at its best, the ending did indeed fall somewhat flat. It all came together a little too quickly and I really didn't understand the meaning of the very last sentence. However, all that aside, "The Street Lawyer" is an intense look into the lives of the homeless and the amazing work of the professionals who devote their careers to caring and assisting these people. Michael Brock, big firm, anti-trust attorney, through a course of events previously described, decides to give up the big salary, and his comfortable office and work as a poverty lawyer in order to help others much less fortunate than he. While taking on this none-too-easy task, he investigates a cover-up created by the high and mighty law firm of Drake & Sweeney, his former employer. Mordecai Green, Director of the 14th Street Legal Clinic, enlists Michael's help at the clinic and before he knows it, Michael is completely immersed in his work. Mordecai decides to join forces with Michael to investigate the eviction of a group of homeless people who had been paying rent in a broken down old warehouse and were thrown out without notice by none other than the lawyers of Drake & Sweeney. Legally, because they were paying rent to an ambiguous fellow by the name of Johnny, they were not considered squatters, but rather tenants and as such, were entitled to 30 days notice. The aftermath of this eviction, and the fact that the tenants were told to leave on the spot in the middle of winter, was the death of four very small children and their young mother. Michael, in all good conscience, feels there is no limit to how far he will go to avenge this serious injustice - even as far as putting his license to practice law on the line. Can corruption among the rich and powerful be fought? It is the battle of the wits and a real eye-opener for the reader.

recommend.......2007-03-03

After being thoroughly disappointed with my last Grisham reading experience "Bleachers" (a departure from the lawyer novels), I started "The Street Lawyer" with smaller expectations and was delighted to find out why I like his work. It started great, and the pages went flying by. The protagonist Attorney Michael Brock is truly a guy you root for, which helps you get caught up in the rollercoaster of events that follow him.

I must say the ending fell flat for this reader, but the rest of the book is good enough to invest your time in. Recommend.

Good, but not his best.......2007-02-28

Michael Brock is a high-powered lawyer living in Washington, D.C.; he's on the fast track toward a partnership and the law firm is his life. He is devoted to it and concentrates only on spending every second he can billing clients and making money.

Michael's life changes when a homeless man takes him and several other lawyers hostage. While he has them trapped in a conference room, thinking they may die any second, the homeless man grills them about their charity work. He gets their financial records and finds that no one in the group has given much money to homeless shelters. He also drops hints that this law firm was involved in some sort of evictions that affected him.

When this homeless man mistakenly gets too near the door, he is shot and killed by a police sniper. Things get back to normal at the law firm... but Michael just can't get this man out of his head. He starts investigating and comes into contact with those lawyers who work for little money and devote their lives to helping the homeless. Michael is touched by them and for the first time in years feels he may be able to make a difference in the world. The question is whether he is willing to sacrifice his comfortable life at his law firm in order to do so.

I really like John Grisham's writing style. He has a great way of giving personality and depth even to the most minor of characters in his stories. I didn't love Michael's character, though. In some cases he was wrong, but he seemed to have no concern for breaking the law or getting caught. The relationship between Michael and his wife also seemed very contrived--they didn't seem to have any sort of real emotional connection to each other. Their relationship was treated as a side plot; I thought it should have either been more focused on or left out completely.

Homeless 101, but Not a Novel.......2007-02-22

John Grisham has definitely done his homework on the topic of homelessness and presents it in a complete and thorough fashion in The Street Lawyer. When it comes to the subject of homelessness, he presents the facts in a very clear, realistic manner. Unfortunately, the rest of his novel does not fare as well, which is why I have to give the work three stars as a valiant attempt at representing the homeless cause in a novel that totally lacks credibility.

The first mistake is when a homeless man holds all the attorneys in Drake & Sweeney hostage using fake dynamite sticks. That is a ploy that would have been uncovered too easily to have lasted as long as it did. Then comes the premise that Michael Brock, an up-and-coming attorney in the firm who is about to receive a salary of millions a year, decides to give it all up to work at a starvation wage as a welfare lawyer in the office with Mordecai Green; as noble as that may sound, it is still stretching the imagination a bit too much to expect the reader to buy such a story. Then comes something else to cause the reader to have questions: as his wife files for divorce -- no big surprise considering what her husband has done -- he then moves into an apartment in Adams Morgan. On a salary of $30,000 a year, there is no way he could afford an apartment in Adams Morgan, nor is it likely that a landlord would agree to rent the apartment to him. It would be nice if it were possible to say, "As long as everybody's happy, that's all that matters," but the plot lacks basic credibility.

It is impossible to ignore the book's strengths, which lie in the manner in which Grisham presents the realities of homelessness. He has done his homework well and with the people in the know in Washington, DC's network of service providers for the homeless. That makes it even more surprising that he did not choose to craft his own novel a bit more realistically after the real-life models that he saw with the providers he interviewed. For example, it would have made a lot more sense for Michael Brock to have devoted part of his time to pro bono work for the homeless as do many of the attorneys who work for the various organizations that assist the homeless instead of forfeiting his career entirely. It is surprising that he did not entertain this idea when writing the novel instead of going to extremes, which definitely harmed the final outcome of the novel.

Average customer rating:

The Firm
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Movie Tie-Ins | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Legal | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Pelican Brief
A Time to Kill
The Client
The Rainmaker
The Chamber

ASIN: 044021145X
Release Date: 1992-01-04

Amazon.com

Hard to believe, but there was a time when the word "lawyer" wasn't synonymous with "criminal," and the idea of a law firm controlled by the Mafia was an outlandish proposition. This intelligent, ensnaring story came out of nowhere--Oxford, Mississippi, where Grisham was a small-town lawyer--and quickly catapulted to the top of the bestseller list, with good reason. Mitch McDeere, the appealing hero, is a poor kid whose only assets are a first-class mind, a Harvard law degree, and a beautiful, loving wife. When a Memphis law firm makes him an offer he really can't refuse, he trades his old Nissan for a new BMW, his cramped apartment for a house in the best part of town, and puts in long hours finding tax shelters for Texans who'd rather pay a lawyer than the IRS. Nothing criminal about that. He'd be set for life, if only associates at the firm didn't have a funny habit of dying, and the FBI wasn't trying to get Mitch to turn his colleagues in. The tempo and pacing are brilliant, the thrills keep coming, and the finish has a wonderful ironic flourish. It's not hard to see why Grisham changed the genre permanently with this one, and few of his colleagues in a very crowded field come close to equaling him. --Jane Adams

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

D.W. Moffett uses his youthful voice to outstanding effect in this excellent abridgment of Grisham's bestselling thriller about a Harvard Law grad aggressively recruited by a curiously obscure firm. "We're small and very selective... we screened over two thousand third-year law students at the best schools. Only one letter was sent." They've decided he's their man and to get him they offer top dollar, dangle a BMW, and woo his wife with offers impossible to refuse. But as the wide-eyed youngsters soon discover, there's a catch. Moffett gives an excellent performance, bringing the story to life with vibrant and believable characterizations and a smooth, knowing narrative. (Running time: 3 hours, 2 cassettes) --George Laney

Book Description

At the top of his class at Harvard Law, he had his choice of the best in America. He made a deadly mistake. When Mitch McDeere signed on with Bendini, Lambert & Locke of Memphis, he thought he and his beautiful wife, Abby, were on their way. The firm leased him a BMW, paid off his school loans, arranged a mortgage and hired him a decorator. Mitch McDeere should have remembered what his brother Ray -- doing fifteen years in a Tennessee jail -- already knew. You never get nothing for nothing. Now the FBI has the lowdown on Mitch's firm and needs his help. Mitch is caught between a rock and a hard place, with no choice -- if he wants to live.

Authors:

Authors

Authors