Best John Grisham Books – What Is It?
There is no denying the fact that John Grisham is one of the best authors of this generation. Nevertheless, it is common for even the best authors to have a few misses here and there. This has been true with the likes of Stephen King and John Grisham. While most of best books John Grisham are thrilling from start to finish, he has written a few that pale in comparison to the others. Therefore, you cannot just run out and buy a Grisham book thinking it is going to be the best. This isn’t always the case. So, which books are the best from his collection?
The Rainmaker, A Time to Kill, and The Partner are all amazing books that will satisfy your thirst. Which one is going to be best for you? Well, it depends on what you’re after at the given time. Many prefer books that are realistic and lifelike. If you fit into this category, you’ll be satisfied with a lot of Grisham books. You’ll also want to check out his books that have been transformed into Hollywood movies. After all, the big shots in Hollywood suspected that these books were the best.
So, what are the best John Grisham books? Below, you’re going to discover comprehensive reviews for some of the best book John Grisham so you can find out which ones are worth your time.
A Time To Kill: A Novel best John Grisham book?
John Grisham has written many great books. Arguably, A Time to Kill is one of his best. The book focuses on the racial divide in Clanton, Mississippi. A ten-year-old girl has her life turned upside down at the time hands of two drunken men. The men show no remorse and this upsets the girl’s father. He decides to take action. He obtains an assault rifle and deals with things on his own. After that, defense attorney Jake Brigance enters the picture.
It is Jake’s job to clear the African American man of the charges. The book reflects on some of society’s most notable problems even today. This makes it a good read for people of all age groups. The characters and the story are compelling enough to keep you turning from one page to the next. This combination helps make this one of the best books John Grisham.
The Partner: A Novel
Anyone who is a fan of Grisham is going to love The Partner. The main character in this book is Patrick Lanigan. He was once a well-paid partner at a prominent Mississippi law firm. Unfortunately, this goes awry for the lawyer. He steals ninety million from the firm and goes on the run. Ultimately, Patrick’s run comes to an end. He is tracked down in the Brazilian jungle. Then, he is shipped back home. While this seems like a tall tale, things only get better from here on out.
Patrick decides to defend himself. Most of the book focuses on the trial of Patrick Lanigan and it is gripping. Even if you’re not a fan of courtroom dramas, you’re going to love this book. The story expands over 480 pages and you’re going to be eager to finish the book after you get started. Sadly, the book’s ending isn’t the best and this makes many people rule it out as the best book John Grisham has ever written.
Sycamore Row
A Time to Kill was a great book with fascinating characters. It is obvious that Jake Brigance stood out as one of the best characters in that film. Well, Grisham decided to bring back the attorney for Sycamore Row. This book will be a real delight for anyone who liked A Time to Kill. After all, it gives you one more chance to see Brigance at his best. This time, the story is much different.
Seth Hubbard is a wealthy man. However, he is dying of cancer and decides to take his own life. Before doing so, he writes a will and sends it to Brigance. Jack is given orders to carry out the will no matter what. The story is again based in the deep South. It is the 1980s and Jake must do everything possible to fulfill Seth’s last wishes. This book will keep you entertained across all 464 pages.
The Last Juror: A Novel
It is easy to see that John Grisham loves courtroom dramas. This remains a focal point of The Last Juror. Much like Grisham’s other books, this one takes place in Clanton, Mississippi. Willy Traynor arrives in the town in 1970 and he quickly establishes the only newspaper in Ford County. The 23-year-old is a likable character but he finds many enemies along the way. The murder of a young mother stuns locals and puts Willie in the middle of it all.
Nine years after the trial, the jurors begin dying one by one. This book is a little quicker than some of the others. It is slightly less realistic as well. Nevertheless, it is only 148 pages and that makes it a quick read for anyone. This book is unique for Grisham and it is nice to see him try something new. Fans of murder mysteries and courtroom dramas will love The Last Juror.
The Firm
The Firm is easily one of the best John Grisham books . After all, it was turned into a 1993 film. Another thing to note is that this is one of Grisham’s longest books. It’ll keep you content for many days at 544 pages. The story will keep you engrossed from start to finish as you attempt to find out what is going to happen to Mitch McDeere. The Western Kentucky University graduate signs with a small tax law firm operating in Memphis, Tennessee.
They offer him a deal that is too good to be true. Unfortunately, Mitch takes the deal and soon finds that his life is in danger. This is a thrilling book that focuses on gangs and corruption. It could easily be one of Grisham’s best books. After all, this is the first book that gained him success and fame. It also led to A Time to Kill becoming a cult classic. The Firm could be the best of the bunch.
The Rainmaker
The Rainmaker is another Grisham book that was transformed into a film. It features Rudy Baylor who graduated from the University of Memphis Law School. Unlike other graduates, Rudy finds himself in big trouble. He just can’t find a good job. Instead, he applies to serve drinks at a local bar. Baylor finds himself in a partnership with two shady individuals. Soon, Rudy signs two clients. One is a poor family who has been in a dispute with an insurance company. The company refused to pay for a life-saving surgery.
If Rudy wins the case, he could net himself and the family millions. Of course, that is not going to be an easy task. This book is different than many of Grisham’s others. After all, it is written mostly in simple present tense. This makes it stand out and it ensures that this is going to be a unique read. If you’ve read the rest of Grisham’s works, this one is highly recommended.
A Painted House
A Painted House is a newer novel from Grisham. It was released in 2011 and turned into a television move in 2003. This book is unique because it is inspired by the author’s childhood in Arkansas. It is also notable because it is his first work that doesn’t fall into the legal thriller genre. The story takes place in 1952. A 7-year-old boy by the name of Luke Chandler lives with his cotton farmer family. Luke eventually encounters criminals. He witnesses a murder and things go downhill from there.
This book contains 384 pages. If you’re a fan of coming of age fiction novels, this one will satisfy your fancy. The characters are realistic and likable. Plus, the story is gripping. This is a book you won’t be able to be put down. It will give you more insight into Grisham’s upbringing and you’ll gain new respect for his versatility as a writer.
The Testament: A Novel
The Testament is a lengthy novel that will keep you engrossed from start to finish. This book focuses on the character of Troy Phelan. He is an angry man who is in the process of rewriting his will. Troy is passing away and he knows it. So, he begins writing a message to his family and he makes adjustments to his will. Surprisingly, Troy’s new will gives all of his riches to an unknown woman. This is where Nate O’Riley enters the picture.
It is his job to track down the mystery woman. That will not be an easy task. After all, she is somewhere in the jungles of Brazil. Will he be able to find her in time? There is only one way to find out! Pick up this book today. The book sounds like many of his others but it is unique in many ways. Giving away too many details would spoil it so you’ll have to uncover the secrets on your own.
The Summons
The Summons is slightly different for Grisham. While it is still a legal thriller, the storyline is unique. For starters, it focuses on Judge Atlee. The man is likely and sick. He has hidden himself away in his Clanton, Mississippi home. Since his death is coming, Judge Atlee issues summons to his sons, Ray and Forrest. They’re going to discuss what will happen to the estate. The judge passes away too early and he takes a shocking secret to his grave. However, Ray and maybe someone else knows the secret.
What was the man hiding? How will it impact his estate and his sons? You’ll find out the answers as you scour through this 384-page book. You won’t be able to stop until you find out how finds unfold.
The Brethren
John Grisham’s The Brethren takes readers into a prison where three disgraces judges have decided to work together. The judges are locked up in a Florida prison. One was involved in tax evasion, the other for stealing bingo profits, and the last for drunken joyriding. While the men could sit around and worry about their problems, they decide to use their time to get rich. They construct an extortion scam while waiting to be released. With the presidential election coming up, the Brethren believes they’ve found a good victim for their scam.
It might sound crazy but The Brethren is a complicated tale. At 448 pages, you’ll be able to see and read the true brilliance of John Grisham. That makes it one of his best works.
The Broker
By the name, you may suspect that this book has something to do with the stock market. It does not. Instead, it focuses on a Washington power broker by the name of Joel Backman. The man has been locked away in a federal prison for six years. He is suddenly released after the President receives pressure from the CIA to pardon him. As it turns out, Backman has too much information about a complex satellite surveillance system.
The CIA sets him up to die. Their goal is to find out who the culprit will be. This political thriller is intense from start to finish. Many books can’t hold the reader’s attention for 448 pages but this one will. You will not be disappointed with this book at all.
The Racketeer
In the United States, it is uncommon for federal judges to be murdered. When it happens, you can guarantee that something bad is going to happen to the murderer. Well, The Racketeer is all about that. Judge Raymond Fawcett is killed alongside his young secretary. Someone out there knows who killed the Judge. It is former attorney Malcolm Bannister. There is just one problem. Bannister is locked away in a federal prison near Frostburg, Maryland.
He knows the FBI wants to know who was responsible and he is going to use that to get himself released. The Malcolm Bannister character is compelling. In fact, the character alone is enough to give this book four stars. Don’t you want to find out who killed Judge Fawcett and why?
Rogue Lawyer
When you pick up a John Grisham book, you know you’re going to reading about a lawyer at some point. Rogue Lawyer takes the lawyer story to a whole new level. The book was called one of the best by NPR and The Washington Post. It is easy to see why. The story focuses on Sebastian Rudd. The unconventional lawyer works from his bulletproof van. It includes everything he needs. Rudd defends the worst of the worst. He lives by the motto that everyone deserves a fair trial.
During the book, he will defend some of the worst possible clients including a homeowner who ends up in jail for opening fire at a SWAT team. If you like original stories and John Grisham, you’ll want to give this book a chance.
The Street Lawyer
The Street Lawyer is similar to Rogue Lawyer. However, it is different in many ways. This book centers on Michael Brock. The lawyer has worked diligently to climb to the top of a DC law firm. He is on the verge of securing a partnership with them. After a hostage situation, Brock’s life changes completely. He decides to hit the streets and begin working for those who need him the most. Before too long, Michael will stumble across a confidential file that unravels a conspiracy.
That conspiracy is associated with the hostage situation and murders of several lawyers. Will Brock be able to uncover of the mystery before he meets a similar fate? Pick up this book and find out for yourself as you devour the 448 pages hoping to uncover the answers.
The Confession
Can a man guilty of a crime so heinous really redeem himself to where he can be seen as a productive member of society? What if this man is already free and there is someone else sitting behind bars accused of said crime? Could the offender of that heinous crime convince the authorities that he was the culprit? Maybe the authorities aren’t willing to admit that the made a mistake. These are all questions that will be answered in John Grisham’s exciting novel The Confession. A small East Texas town is rocked with a murder so heinous that it truly shakes the town to its core. What’s even more shocking about the entire thing is that it is a prominent football that stands accused of the murder, which he had nothing to do with.
Will the real culprit be able to redeem himself and prove to the world that he was, in fact, the one that acted. And, acted alone?
The Litigators
How many time have you heard about a big pharmaceutical company killing their patients with medications that they know are not safe? Maybe the upper echelon had something to do with skewing the test results, maybe they didn’t. These are the hard questions that have to be answered by the dedicated me and women of the law. Although the partners at Finley & Figg might not be so quite dedicated to the law, they are certainly certified ambulance chasers with a penchant to hit it big.
And, that is just what the firm might be able to do when they bring on newly sober partner David Zinc. The firm battles it out with one of the biggest and most ruthless name in the pharmaceutical business, Varrick Labs. With an annual sales revenue of $25 billion, it is more than safe to say that both the partners and their clients stand to finally hit the big time.
The Reckoning
The Reckoning really has it all. If you are looking for an exciting read that will get the blood pumping while tugging on those heartstrings, look no further than one of John Frusham’s latest novels The Reckoning. This book really has it all. It is a murder mystery with loads of courtroom drama and just enough family saga to get those tear ducts swelled. A decorated war hero, a prominent family man, a respected member of society, and a faithful member of the local Methodist church commits a crime on a cool October morning that is so shocking it will shack the reader down to their very core.
What’s even more shocking about the whole situation is that the only thing the once respected member of society has to say is that he has nothing at all to say. What made this guy flip his switch and why did he choose to commit murder in his beloved church?
The Rooster Bar
Every lawyer that heads into law school does with the mindset that they are going to change the world. Some indeed do, but many never reach that prominence. It seems like they just have the deck stacked against them from the beginning. That is exactly what happens to Mark, Todd, and Zola in this new gripping, legal thriller by John Grisham. The three law students and close friends are now in their third year in law school only to learn that they have been duped the entire time.
Not only did they all borrow a load of money to pay for this mediocre education, but they just discovered that their school is one of a chain owned by a shady New York hedge-fund operator that just so happens to also own a bank that specializes in student loans. Does this seem too convenient to be true? Can the gang uncover the true motives behind this bizarre scam and shake the law school world of everything that it knows?
Camino Island
What is there was a treasure, a heist with a reward so great that even the sanest of men couldn’t resist? This oftentimes seems the case with treasure-seeking books. And, Camino Island is no different. This story is about your average bookstore owner is a sleepy, little town. Bruce might just appear like your average bookstore owner, but it is in rare books where he makes his fortune. And, he is very good at keeping his secrets hidden. In fact, there are very few in town who knows anything of his unsavory ventures.
Things are about to even take a more shocking turn when a young out of work novelist is approached by a mysterious woman with the request of getting her to swindle her way into Bruce’s life. With the prospects of money and writing career, the young novelist dashes off in hopes to uncover what this gang of literary experts is really up to.
Gray Mountain
John Grisham’s Gray Mountain is a novel that focuses on the ups and downs of Attorney Samantha Kofer. Kofer began her career with a renowned law firm on Wall Street. After years of being on top, the recession set in, forcing the law firm to downsize. Kofer and other attorneys were laid off, with the possibility of being rehired.
The young female attorney could either volunteer at a legal aid clinic in New York City or work for a Virginia-based law firm. Agreeing to join the law firm, Kofer would soon find herself in a very dangerous situation.
The small town of Brady was all about coal mining and corruption. Kofer’s job was to take on the coal mining industry. While seemingly easy, Kofer would soon discover no one goes up against a power industry like coal mining without fearing for their life.
Skipping Christmas: A Novel
The name of this book says it all. It is about a couple that decides to skip Christmas for the first year ever because they simply think they don’t need it. They have plans to set sail the following day for a Caribbean cruise, but they are about to discover that Christmas is not just a true wonder, but skipping it can come with all kinds of consequences. This is a modern look at how important Christmas traditions are and what exactly they can mean to the people involved.
The Whistler
This book takes a long, hard look at the judicial system and the real possibilities of what might happen when it is bent to someone’s will. Judges are the ones that are supposed to protect and look out for the people. They reign down sentences based on logical and moral factors. What happens when those judges turn corrupt and start abusing the system for their gain? That is exactly what this book will cover!
The Appeal: A Novel
Every day there is the real possibility that juries can be bought off. All you need are the right resources, contacts, and the right amount of amount. It has been said that money is the root of all evil, and this book takes a look at that very possibility. In Mississippi, a Wall Street tycoon with a convincing case against his company for dumping waste decides that he doesn’t like the chance that the court has dealt him, so he wrestles with the real possibility of buying a seat on the jury. Can the Supreme Court really be molded and shaped? That is what this book will look at.
The Associate: A Novel
Everyone has a secret or two that they don’t want to come out. It might be something small. It might be something colossal. For Kyle McAvoy, his secret is huge and if it ends up in the wrong hands it could ruin everything that he has worked so hard for. Somehow someone has discovered Kyle’s deep, dark secret. How far is he willing to go to keep this secret a secret? And, by going trying to keep his secret a secret he could be inadvertently ruining himself. This book looks at how far one man will go to hide something. How heinous could his secret be?
The Pelican Brief
The Pelican Brief takes a look at a conspiracy. A conspiracy that is so big and deep it runs all the way back to the Supreme Court system. To the outside world, this conspiracy just looks like the random killing of two Supreme Court justices. Unfortunately, it is one unlucky law student who inadvertently uncovers the truth. He soon finds himself in a world that he would have never guessed. He is soon scrambling to put the pieces together while trying to figure out who he can trust with what he knows. The people behind this atrocious act are willing to stop at nothing, and it will be up to this young law student to determine how far he is willing to go to bring the truth to light.
Conclusion
There is no denying the fact that John Grisham is one of the best authors of this generation. Nevertheless, it is true that a few of his books have not satisfied as much as the others. They are still worth the time but you should start with best John Grisham books before moving onto the rest. Once you’ve done that, you’ll begin to see how talented he really is. Even in the beginning, he was writing novels that would leave you glued to your chair. If you’re a fan of slow-burning novels with lots of emotion, you’ll love most of the books on this list.
Of course, you should try to find one that sparks your interest the most. Do you want to dive deep into the racial tensions of the deep south? If so, you’re likely going to enjoy A Time to Kill. Or, would you like to learn more about prisons and disgraced judges? Well, you should check out The Brethren. Ultimately, Grisham is a very complex author with many excellent works. They’re not all equal but there is a good chance that some people are going to like all of them. Each book is unique in its own right. Many will hit close to home. After all, the characters are compelling, likable, and memorable.
No matter what you’re into, you can guarantee that you’ll find a book from Grisham that you enjoy. You could easily start with his first book, A Time to Kill, then follow along with his career. You won’t find a book that disappoints too much.
Answer on questions:
Where Is John Grisham From?
American novelist and activist, John Grisham was born on the 8 th of February in 1955 in Jonesboro, Arkansas. At the age of four, Grisham’s farther and mother relocated to Southhaven, Mississippi. After graduating from community college in Senatobia, Grisham enrolled in Delta State University located in Cleveland, Mississippi.
How Many Books Has John Grisham Written?
Grisham has written a total of 23 books, ranging from legal thrillers to Southern Gothic to crime fiction. Grisham completed his first novel in 1989. “A Time to Kill” was published by Wynwood Press. It consists of 515 pages, all of which tell the story of the make-believe town, Clanton, in Ford County, Mississippi.
What John Grisham Books Became Movies?
Many of Grisham’s books have been turned into movies. In 1993, The Firm and The Pelican Brief were translated into movies. After that, A Time to Kill, The Rainmaker, and The Client, have been turned into films as well. Other books that have been turned into movies include The Chamber, Runaway Jury, Micky, A Painted House, The Gingerbread Man, and The Street Lawyer. There is a good chance that more of Grisham’s books will become movies in the future. If you’re a fan of his work, you should keep an eye on the news because his works will likely be transformed into movies again.
Where John Grisham Lives?
The famous author, John Grisham, currently lives in Fairfax, Virginia. Over the years, he has assumed many roles. He has been a researcher, photographer, military commentator, and a game designer. Nevertheless, he is most recognized for writing numerous hit books. Some have claimed that they’ve seen Grisham in Charlottesville, Virginia too.
Love The Rooster Bar
I have to say that I was skeptical about The Rooster Bar but it proved to be one of the best
books from Grisham in many years. I highly recommend it. If you’re a fan of Grisham, you will
like this book.
Bobby,
Agree with this statement. This is a fast-paced book that is going to keep you on the edge of
your chair. I really enjoyed it and believe you will as well. Bravo Mister Grisham!
While the Rooster Bar is a great book, I still do not believe that it holds a candle to some of
Grisham’s earlier works. It seems that he is regressing as a writer as time goes on. That is to
be expected though.
I’ve read The Reckoning in the past month and I can tell you that it is a spectacular book. This
one offers a little bit of everything so it is a must for any fan.
I have read many John Grisham books abs have enjoyed all of them. A Time To Kill is the best, then The Firm. A Painted House is fantastic, and one of the few books that is not a legal thriller. I really enjoyed The Racketeer and The Reckoning. Rooster Bar is very good, too. Ford County Stories is a great collection of short stories.