John Grisham Books

I have read every JG novel to date, and this one is still my favorite.

A must read. I saw the movie but the details in the book are real life.

The Firm

Story: 4 out of 5 stars
Abridged: No
Quality of narration: 4 stars
Reader's range of character voices: 2 stars

Pros: I have read the book and listened to the audiobook, both versions are unputdownable. As for the audiobook narration, Scott Brick's voice is warm and listenable. His delivery is clearly enunciated and pitched so you don't have to keep changing volume to hear what's being said.

Cons: Brick does an excellent job on New York and Long Island accents (check out his reading of Nelson DeMille's John Corey series), but "The Firm" takes place in the Deep South and his southern accents are weak to non-existent. Also, he doesn't do much with female voices other than soften his voice slightly.

This thrilling and exhilarating Grisham novel starts out and explains the normal occurrences of a lawyer fresh out of law school. The long nights and hard work seem to have brought Mitch McDeere exactly what he wanted, a warm climate, a BMW, and a mortgage to a house for himself and his wife. He soon realized after two deaths his first day on the job that the firm was not a safe place to be. After being approached by the FBI I was always curious as to whether he would follow the same path as the former associates who were recently killed or take the greedy path and stick with the money. The ability of Grisham to tell the story from many points of view and keep the most important details hidden till the very end was key to keeping interest in the novel. The escape of Mitch from the firm was somewhat suspicious and his ability to get access to all of the files is somewhat hard to believe but still made for a good read. From the start of the novel I could not put it down and was always enticed by the next twist or turn that would come.

This is one of the few books that had me waking up in the middle of the night to read another chapter. I found it fascinating...

Plum lawyer job not so good after all.


When a hotshot young lawyer is enticed to work for a famous firm he discovers after a while that they really aren't very nice, and not something he wants to be a part of.

Then you get a mystery/thriller with chases, etc., but rather than spy or cop or military hero, you have a legal one.

That wasn't particularly interesting to me, so I never bothered with another Grisham.

This is, no question, hands down, Grisham's best book. He creates a plot that is truly exciting. It creates suspense and cleverly throws unexpected twists into Mitch McDeere's way as he tries to expose The Firm for what it really is.

If you are going to start reading John Grisham books, read this one first. It sure got me hooked.

John Grisham has established himself as one of the premier American writers in the recent past. Almost everything he writes is gobbled up devoured by his fans and rightfully so. He has a great knack for drawing you in to the characters and then like a punch in the nose..he hits you with the hook. Time to kill already is a classic and will remain on the reading list for high schooler and collegiates for quite a while.

I find John Grissom to be an excelloent writter.

I find it hard to put down.

This book is author John Grisham's first novel. It is also, naturally enough, his personal favorite.

"A Time to Kill" had an indifferent reception from publishers. It was subsequently given a more prestigious release after the best selling success of "The Firm" and "The Pelican Brief."

I would probably rate "A Time to Kill" with three and a half stars, if that option were available to me on this web site. It is not a bad book, but it is awfully derivative. If you have previously read Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird," much of the material in "A Time to Kill" is going to seem familiar to you. The time frame, the specific crime and the location have changed, but otherwise it is a short drive from a courtroom in segregated Alabama to a racist courtroom in Mississippi.

To put it another way, would you prefer watching the motion picture "In the Heat of the Night" with Rod Steiger or the weekly television series with Carroll O'Connor?

I read this book after others by Grisham and was pleasantly surprised.
It is different from his other books, but very enjoyable still. I
see that he has a sense of humor, which I did not detect in his
other books. I would say one of my favorites by this author.

Gwen Hailey calls her husband Carl Lee at work, tells him their daughter, ten-year-old Tonya is missing. Carl Lee isn't all that worried though, because his wife tends to be, well a little protective. However when he gets home he's met with the news that Tonya has been raped by a pair of redneck types named Billy Ray Cobb and Pete Willard. Tonya had been left for dead and Carl Lee is seeing red. He's African American and does not believe the rapists are going to get what they deserve. Though they're arrested, Carl Lee knows how it goes in the South, so he goes to the courthouse and blows away those young good old boys, then he gets himself a lawyer.

Attorney Jake Brigance takes the case, which gets plenty of media attention right from the get go. It also draws the attention of the Clan, who do their best to intimidate both Jake (they burn a cross on his yard) and the jurors. Carl Lee is looking at the gas chamber if he's convicted and many want it so, however, there are many who believe Carl Lee had been justified. Tension is running high in the Mississippi town of Clanton. Jake's wife is afraid for their daughter Hannah. His secretary is afraid, too. The town doesn't need this, but it's got it.

And you may not need the tension in this book, nor the graphic scene detailing what happened to Tonya, but you should read this book. This is John Grisham's best work, it's his first novel, too. Everything John Grisham writes tops the bestseller lists and they should, but this book, well they need a whole new list for this book. John Grisham puts you in the South at a tense time and paints a picture so true it'll make your eyes bleed as you pour through the pages. He's written a book about a time in the South that the South would love to forget about. We were a different people then, thank the Lord we're changing. We're not their yet, but we're getting there.

Ken Douglas, author of Dead Ringer, Desperation Moon & Running Scared

Plenty of plot reviews about this book -it's Grisham, so I won't go any further to describe it. The plot was thin, IMO, hardly much struggle (conflict), with not much of a climax. But it read so, so well! I was completely entertained on every page. I wanted to know what would happen next, and I can't even explain why. I just know I liked it!

The rainmaker was my second Grisham (after The Testament), my expectations from the book were very high (particularly after reading the so many five star reviews and knowing that it seems Grisham's most popular work). I found the book was entertaining, fun to read nevertheless lacked of something, for example in the beginning of the book Rudy faces an event which later in the book is not even mentionned, he is pursued by the police for suspicion of having burnt down a building, this makes a big fuss in the start of the book but then is completely forgotten? What happened there I don't know? Did Mr. Grisham forget to continue that part of the story...? Also a similar thing happens with Mrs. Birdy, a woman who seems the center of attention quiet regularly throughout the book, as she is a ''millionaire'' and the young Lawyer advices her a lot about her will and how she should share her money after her death, towards the end of the book it seemed to me at some point that the author barely gave any attention to her story and merely disclosed the affair by saying that she was after all not a millionaire but thought she was and actually had barely any money.. I found that a bit strange as well.

In the end the young Lawyer wins the case, but nothing much happens, he ends up leaving the town with the young girl he has met at the Hospital, the closing line being that he will not practice Law as a career but prefer to teach History (a simple life rather than a complicated one), ok fair enough but the decision seemed a bit sudden, and the final note of the book was also a bit suprising.

Entertaining, but I had found it dissapointing and most of all surprising that so many people praise the book so much.

This isn't a mystery, nor is it a thriller. There are no sadistic serial killers slinking through the night, no wondering who the killer is, no car chases, etc. Despite that, this is a suspenseful book that had me cheering for the little guy to prevail.

A newly minted lawyer in Memphis takes on a mega insurance company, represented by a pack of lawyers who have initials in front of their names and Roman numberals behind. And lest I forget, expensive clothes and haughty smirks. The issue: the insurance company arbitrarialy turned down coverage for a bone marrow transplant that would have saved the life of a young man with cancer. Every trick is used to reject coverage, to obfuscate, to delay. As an aside, I worked in insurance for over 26 years, and Mr. Grisham's version represents what I saw and sometimes did. I'm not proud of it.

Apparently some other reviewers read a different book from the one I read. One said that the characters were not well drawn. I thought they were excellent. Some doubted the plot. Don't doubt it. Grisham stacked the cards, but that's the nature of fiction. This book along with the movie "Sicko" give an accurate picture of how insurance companies often operate. Adjusters are not promoted for how fairly they settle claims by the terms of the policy but by how many claims they can deny or settle for a sum below what the policy promises. "We're on your side" and "good hands" are what all companies promise, one way or another, but they are promises that are not always delivered.

I've not always been fond of Grisham's novels, but this one is a winner. It also has some nice surprises, ones I certainly didn't expect. That added to the pleasure in reading this.

This is a can't-miss Grisham! This is one of his best books. Classic.

Who doesn't love a thriller with an underdog chasing the greedy and corrupt insurance company, to make them pay for cheating their customers? Especially one that is so dirty that they would rather lose a life than to pay out benefits. Great characters, story and ending. It was fast-paced but thorough in the story and development. Loved it!!

I've read this book four times. It hits on some of the most important questions regarding our legal system, the insurance industry and the irony of most business dealings. Most people rarely mention Grisham's very dry humor. I laughed out loud at many of his characterizations and foolishness our our current legal system. Coppola's movie was okay, but can't compare to this novel.

What can I say about Stephen King? That he is the most amazing writer I've read since Mark Twain? Or that he creates characters and dialog that are so true-to-life and inventive? That his prose soars like a Gulfstream? Yes, these and a lot more.

I've read King as a teenager, and now in my 30s, I decided to read some of the earlier novels I've bypassed before. Firestarter is the first of these novels, and when I read it, I nearly cried at some of the scenes. I just couldn't believe how well-written they were. Case in point: when the dad and the girl goes to the farmer's house, and the dad's trying to convince the farmer what his girl could do, and when the bad guys show up. That one brilliant scene--the dialog, the realistic action, etc.--encapsulates everything that is brilliant about Stephen King. John Grisham can't write such a scene. Neither can Michael Crichton or Dennis Lehane or, God help us, James Patterson.

The story itself, though, suffers a lot in comparison to King's preternatural writing talent. The government is experimenting on college students (yeah, right!) to give them extrasensory powers, and two people have a kid, and that kid can throw fireballs. Haha. Of course, the easiest thing the parents could've done is to alert the papers from the get-go, but noooo, they had to wait--well, the dad does anyway because the wife gets offed before the novel even begins--until it was too late. So logically, Firestarter, like all of King's novels, are on very shaky ground. And structurally, King can shrink it a bit--esp. the overly long denouement. So a point off.

But it doesn't matter. You don't read Stephen King for tight structure and high concept--that would be Dan Brown and Ira Levin--but for his prose, dialog, and character development, which are, again, amazing. You read Stephen King for the interaction between the dad and his little girl, and smile and curse the brillaint villain John Rainbird, the modern-day Injun Joe.

So read this book, and witness truly one of the great talents in the English language.

I think the reason king is so great is because he can create great emotions from his "constant readers". sometimes you really get to hate the bad guys in the book. I mean really HATE. this book is one of 'em. sometimes while reading this book you might just want to stand up and yell at the fictional villans, "Just LEAVE THEM ALONE, bastard!" like that. also, it's got a great deal of suspense. one of the most suspensive king books, actually. and it's really heartbreaking to see what andy(the main character) would do to save his daughter. what EFFORT he would give. this is one of the three king books that I almost cried while reading. last of all, it's short. no unnecessary sentences.
I really envied the protagonist while reading this book, not because of the situation he's in(hell, no:NOBODY'd like that)but because of his fantastic abilities. even if you're not a king fan, you should give this a try. it's worth it. trust me.

This book for me was such an enjoyable ride. The main charecter was just a father trying to save his little girl, from an evil government agency trying to exploit her. The Psy powers in the book were really ingenius and well thought out. Stephen King writes about normal people in extreme situations and what they must do to survive. He writes of the soft achilles heel of humanity, our weakest moments and our most heroic times. With some horror thrown in for good measure to keep the story alive. Really though his books are an attempt to stand up against our oppressors wether they be Black suit G-Men ,aliens ,vampires ,classic cars ,ghosts ,or just human nature itself.

Firestarter begins with a man and his young daughter on the run from relentless pursuers. We soon learn that Andy McGee and his daughter Charlene, "Charlie," have mental powers that a government agency known as The Shop wants to study. Andy has the ability to "push" others and dominate their minds but can only use it periodically. Charlie has various abilities but the most powerful is to generate intense heat with her mind, heat intense enough to set virtually anything on fire. The Shop agents consistently show themselves to be as reprehensible as they are persistent and have already killed Charlie's mother.

Stephen King often creates interesting characters and Firestarter is no exception. Charlie is quite a remarkable little girl and I liked her quite a bit by the end of the story. Her part is small in the beginning but she starts coming into her own about half way through and just gets better and better from there. Andy is a genuinely good guy, he obviously loves Charlie and desperately wants to protect her. As his history is revealed, it also becomes obvious that he has consistently used his powers to the benefit of others, while most of us would probably be very tempted to use them more selfishly. The villains are no less interesting, and John Rainbird is especially chilling. I don't want to give away any major plot developments but the relationship between he and Charlie is riveting.

Firestarter is a pleasure to read. At just over 400 pages, it's taut and the story moves along at a good pace. It's almost impossible not to root for Charlie and Andy even as it gets harder and harder to see how they can end up with a happy ending. I found it more and more of a page-turner as the story progressed. As with most of King's early work, Firestarter takes a simple, but strong, idea and spins it into a great novel. I recommend it to anyone looking for a suspenseful story with good characters, whether they are established Stephen King fans or first time readers.

In the growing pantheon of brilliant King novels transmogrified into inferior movies, FIRESTARTER holds an important place (sorry, Drew Barrymore, but you didn't light my fire until years and years later). In this book, it's easy to define why: King writes in-depth characterizations that never come across in the boiled-down, straight to the plot adaptations.

FIRESTARTER is, first and foremost, a relationship story between little, helpless (?) Charlie and her father. Both have extra-sensory powers--thanks to the US government--both are on the run--from the US government--and they have only each other. It's a story of desperation (not to be confused with the latter King book actually called "Desperation"). As these two characters lean on each other against an overwhelming, almost Koontz-like collective villain, the reader cares about what happens. In the movie, we're just waiting for Drew Barrymore to blow up the grownups.

(This review has been posted by Marcus Damanda, author of the vampire book "Teeth: A Horror Fantasy.")

This was the best Camel Club book in the series. The writing is fast-paced and it makes the reader want to find out what happens next. David Baldacci is the next John Grisham. I am so anxious to find out when the next one is coming out. I won't tell you what happens in this book but suffice it to say that the Camel Club is on full tilt.

Stone Cold is a mind magnet that pulls you from page to page.

The action moves at a blistering pace, but stops every now and then so you can catch your breath and enjoy the clever and witty prose.

The characters are rich and deep as needed for a thriller to move with agility and purpose along a sharp plotline.

Bestseller Baldacci gets another solid hit----5 stars!

I've never read Baldacci before but after reading this book I am super excited to read the rest of his work. Stone Cold is a great page turner. I actually found myself thinking of actors to play the characters in the book. Baldacci paints perfect pictures without weighing the reader down in minute details. Every page felt important. The good guys are easy to root for, the bad guys easy to fear and root against.

You made it to this page considering purchasing this book, do it, you won't be disappointed. Pick up Camel Club as well, it will help with character development, although not necessary because I started with this book.

The third story of The Camel Club will keep you on the cutting-edge of your seat that you might fall. The three stories herein are great so you won't be able to close the book till you finish it. The plot and the characters are great and the pace is fast so you'll enjoy reading this one.

This is by far the best of the Camel Club series. It's a fun, fast paced action thriller. I love the building up of the different story until the final climax. I would highly recommended this book and hope Mr. Baldacci churns out more of Mr. Oliver Stone.

Not exactly a fan of Grisham's novel but 'A Time to Kill' did open up my mind on terms of justice and the meaning of law.The "beauty" of discrimination and the "joy" of suffer and anguish.Personally, I'm impressed with the theme that he presented and the flow of his idea in captivating the reader's point of view.To be able to "sense" the meaning of democracy and to share the same enthusiasm makes me merely impressed with his writing.What we've read in his novels are some of the normal "thing" that happens in our lives but it takes so much more in "bringing" it to life.That is what John Grisham has done to me and definately to all his readers.

" A time to Kill" - the most fascinating novel I ever read ..it hasa mixture of drama,suspense,action and comedy..it has everything that will make your reading time unnotice as if you don't want to stop until the end...more power to John Grisham....

John Grisham is an excellent writer, and this collection of four of his works is great. The story behind The Chamber is griping, strong and emotional. The Client is a quick paced enjoyable book, and A Time to Kill is an incredible book of the justice system in our country. I was never extremely fond of Pelican Brief, so I'll leave out a comment on it. Excellent books for people of any age.

Half way through I started to lose interest. I have an opinion about capital punishment, and John Grisham caused me to examine it more closely. However, the point to me was not whether or not it is it right, but why does it take so long to carry our these sentences? I suspect his motivation for writing this book may lie, in part, in an attempt to sway the reader to his thinking. The book drags for the last half, and I wasn't swayed.

i thought that this book was very anticipating yet interesting. it kept me wanting to read it until the end. theres some action in it and theres a lot of drama on both sides of the conflict. although much of the book was in the courtroom i could say that much action was taken place outside of the courthouse. there are characters that i think the author makes u not like which is understandable considering what they've done. then theres the people u feel sympathy for and can do nothing about it. overall i would rate this a 4 star novel

LA TRAMA ESTA BUENA, AUNQUE EN ALGUNOS CAPITULOS ENTRA TANTO EN DETALLES QUE ABURRE UN POCO, EL FINAL ESTA MUY BUENO TAMBIEN.

Este libro cuenta la historia de un extravagante multimillonario que al morir deja una herencia repartida inesperadamente, dados los conocimientos que tiene de su propia familia. Es un libro interesante, pero definitivamente se hace un poco tedioso en algunos capitulos.

This could be an amazing real story, he knows his family and how they think of him, so that's why he want to take revenge in his testament, may be this is because the way he educate them and in that case who's the responsible for their acts?

John Grishan nos deleita con este libro que escribe con detalle las peripecias de un hombre que se debate entre el deber y el vicio, las acciones de un hombre arrepentido y el fuerte caracter de una hija perdida. El final, aunque algo predecible, es bastante impactante, tal y como nos tiene acostumbrado el autor.

Wealthy, adulterous, Troy Phelan having 11 billions. Write a new will before his 6 children and 3 Psychiatrist their lawyers. But as soon as they leave the room. He has his nurse and two laywers to signeda new will. After this was done He promptly jumps from his wheelchair and jumps from his fourteen story building. What was in the new will? It annuls the last will and give his inheritance to an illeeegitimate child that was a missionary in Brazil. Would they find the heir? Would she want the money?What would become of the other 6 children of Troy Phelan? Non stopping in this book for their is mores questions that you want answered before you quit!

It's good, street lawyer's bout someone who urm...been on the street and being street smart , eh? if urm...john grisham's reading this......hey, ur books are excellent!

The Street Lawyer is a very good book and very informative as well as being a window into the topic of street people.

Now I know why literary criticism is important. Pringle's book taught me lots about Grisham's works and the legal thriller genre.

Dr. Pringle is an interesting and informative author. Whenever I read Grisham, I have a copy of her book right next to me. If you like Grisham, Pringle's view on his books is second to none. Get this book!

Mary Beth Pringle does an good job at capturing the style and format behind John Grisham's fiction. However, her feminist training and backgroud tend to impact her objectivity. Although she attempts to give an "alternative critical perspective" on each of his novels, she seems to give her analysis, from a feminist perspective, throughout the book. Her feminist views take away from the overall quality of her work. Otherwise, it is a fair analysis of Grisham.