The Reckoning Synopsis
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER John Grisham's most powerful, surprising, and suspenseful thriller yet "A murder mystery, a courtroom drama, a family saga." -USA Today
October 1946, Clanton, Mississippi
Pete Banning was Clanton, Mississippi's favorite son-a decorated World War II hero, the patriarch of a prominent family, a farmer, father, neighbor, and a faithful member of the Methodist church. Then one cool October morning he rose early, drove into town, and committed a shocking crime. Pete's only statement about it-to the sheriff, to his lawyers, to the judge, to the jury, and to his family-was: "I have nothing to say." He was not afraid of death and was willing to take his motive to the grave.
In a major novel unlike anything he has written before, John Grisham takes us on an incredible journey, from the Jim Crow South to the jungles of the Philippines during World War II; from an insane asylum filled with secrets to the Clanton courtroom where Pete's defense attorney tries desperately to save him.
Reminiscent of the finest tradition of Southern Gothic storytelling, The Reckoning would not be complete without Grisham's signature layers of legal suspense, and he delivers on every page.
Don't miss John Grisham's new book, THE EXCHANGE: AFTER THE FIRM!
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9780525639251 |
| Publication date: |
23rd October 2018 |
| Author: |
John Grisham |
| Publisher: |
Random House Audiobooks an imprint of Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group |
| Format: |
CD-Audio |
| Primary Genre |
Thriller and Suspense
|
| Other Genres: |
|
John Grisham Press Reviews
A murder mystery, a courtroom drama, a family saga, a coming-of-age story, a war narrative, a period piece: The Reckoning is Grisham's argument that he's not just a boilerplate thriller writer. Most jurors will think he has made his case - USA Today
When a master of storytelling and suspense takes on one of the most wrenching stories in history, the result is a book that will break your heart, set your blood pumping and your mind racing, and leave you gasping for breath by the final page. I'm still trying to recover from The Reckoning - Candice Millard, New York Times bestselling author of The River of Doubt and Destiny of the Republic
John Grisham is the master of legal fiction, and his latest starts with a literal bang - and then travels backward through the horrors of war to explore what makes a hero, what makes a villain, and how thin the line between the two might be - Jodi Picoult, internationally bestselling author of A Spark of Light and Small Great Things
In this saga of love and war, John Grisham has given us a sprawling and engrossing story about a southern family, a global conflict, and the kinds of secrets that can shape all of us. From the courtrooms and jails of rural Mississippi to the war-torn Pacific, Grisham spins a tale that is at once entertaining and illuminating - Jon Meacham, New York Times bestselling author of The Soul of America
Beautifully constructed, [The Reckoning] captures the racial tensions of the Deep South and weaves a truly magical spell - Daily Mail
I couldn't help thinking of Harper Lee's great American novel To Kill a Mockingbird while reading The Reckoning . . . [Grisham] knows how to spin a yarn - Chicago Sun-Times
About John Grisham
John Grisham as a child dreamed of being a professional baseball player. After graduating from law school at Ole Miss in 1981, he went on to practice law for nearly a decade, specializing in criminal defense and personal injury litigation. One day, Grisham overheard the harrowing testimony of a twelve-year-old rape victim and was inspired to start a novel exploring what would have happened if the girl's father had murdered her assailants. Getting up at 5 a.m. every day to get in several hours of writing time before heading off to work, Grisham spent three years on A Time to Kill and finished it in 1987. His next novel, The Firm, spent 47 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list and became the bestselling novel of 1991. Since then, he has written one novel a year, including The Client, The Pelican Brief, The Rainmaker and The Runaway Jury. Today, Grisham has written a collection of stories, a work of nonfiction, three sports novels, four kids' books, and many legal thrillers. His work has been translated into 42 languages. He lives near Charlottesville, Virginia.
Author photo © Billy Hunt
More About John Grisham
