John Grisham, the king of legal thrillers, is one of the best-selling authors of all time, with over 400 million copies sold worldwide. Before finding success as an author, he practiced law for a decade and even served for a time in the Mississippi House of Representatives. Grisham’s experiences as a lawyer and legislator deeply influenced his writing, providing authentic insights into the intricacies of the legal system.
Grisham’s stories can be a little over-the-top, and the dialogue is sometimes rather pulpy, but there’s no denying that his plots are gripping and the legal elements of the stories are well-executed. He’s fundamentally a genre writer, but his work is elevated by the fact that it draws on real expertise. This formula has won him countless fans, who continue to devour his work (some of them have even adapted his novels into movies). Here are Grisham’s ten strongest books, according to the users of book review site Goodreads.
10 ‘Camino Island’ (2017)
Rating: 3.81/5
“If you’re gonna be stupid you gotta be tough.” Grisham took a departure from his usual legal thrillers with this crime mystery. It revolves around the heist of rare F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscripts from Princeton University’s library. The stolen manuscripts find their way to Bruce Cable, an enigmatic rare books dealer running a bookstore on the idyllic Camino Island. Enter Mercer Mann, a young, struggling writer with mounting debt, who is approached by a mysterious figure and asked to infiltrate Cable’s circle and gather intelligence on the pilfered documents.
The genre switch-up is a welcome change of pace. It seems to reenergize Grisham’s storytelling. The resort-town setting is also refreshing; instead of navigating the dark corridors of courthouses found in his 20-plus novels, Grisham takes us to a tranquil island off the coast of Florida. The result is a light genre read that may appeal to readers beyond just fans of legal thrillers.
9 ‘The Chamber’ (1994)
Rating: 3.84/5
“I’ve spent my life hating people, and look what I have to show for it.” The film adaptation of this legal drama was panned by critics but the novel was received more warmly. It’s a darker tale from Grisham, exploring hate crimes, capital punishment, and the possibility of redemption. At the heart of the narrative is young attorney Adam Hall, who takes on the seemingly impossible task of saving his grandfather, Sam Cayhall, from the gas chamber.
Sam, a former Ku Klux Klan member, has been convicted of a horrific 1967 bombing that killed two Jewish children. As Adam investigates, he uncovers painful family secrets and finds himself confronted with ethical dilemmas. The book stumbles at times – some of the dialogue is a little wooden, and the bleakness can be a little wearisome – but its strongest point is the complex, almost sympathetic way it depicts Sam. He’s no stock villain, and the novel resists easy moral answers.
8 ‘The Whistler’ (2016)
Rating: 3.96/5
“It’s often the one you trust the most who’ll cut your throat for the right price.” The Whistler introduces readers to Lacy Stoltz, an investigator for the Florida Board on Judicial Conduct. Her routine life takes a dramatic turn when she receives a tip about a corrupt judge linked to the mob involved and a suspicious Native American casino operation on a Native American reservation. The casino brings wealth to the region but also an uptick in crime, including murder.
As usual, the story clips along at a brisk pace, serving up plenty of twists and surprise revelations along the way. Unfortunately, the dialogue is sometimes a little generic and unrealistic (one of Grisham’s weaknesses), but he compensates with a hearty dose of drama and intrigue. His description of the characters and the setting is likewise vivid, painting a memorable picture of a violent and semi-lawless place reminiscent of Killers of the Flower Moon.
7 ‘The Partner’ (1997)
Rating: 3.97/5
“Where was it written that you couldn’t start over?” The Partner tells the story of Patrick Lanigan, a lawyer who embezzles $90m from his law firm and then fakes his own death. After successfully vanishing for four years and starting a new life in Brazil, Patrick is discovered and captured by private investigators hired by his former partners. He must take on a multi-fronted legal battle and stare down adversaries, or face years behind bars.
This one is interesting because the main character is much more morally gray than Grisham’s usual protagonists. Patrick is a devious schemer and outright criminal, but he’s also deeply devoted to his newfound love, Eva. The reader dislikes many of his actions but also sympathizes with his yearning for freedom. On the plot side, The Partner can be a little formulaic and farfetched, but it’s also well-constructed as far as mysteries go. It should please fans of the genre.
6 ‘The Rainmaker’ (1995)
Rating: 4.00/5
“Don’t compromise yourself – you’re all you have.” Rudy Baylor is a freshly graduated lawyer struggling to find employment. Desperate for work, Rudy takes on a pro bono case involving a young leukemia patient whose insurance company has wrongfully denied his claim for a bone marrow transplant. What follows is a David-and-Goliath battle, as Rudy goes up against the powerful and corrupt insurance giant, Great Benefit Life Insurance.
The Rainmaker ranks among Grisham’s most emotional novels and was adapted by Francis Ford Coppola into an equally moving film starring Matt Damon and Jon Voight. The story is not only a tearjerker but an indictment of the entire legal system, as Grisham sees it. Indeed, he has said that Rudy is the character of his that he would most like to meet. Finally, The Rainmaker succeeds because it avoids a feel-good, crowd-pleasing ending, instead hitting the reader with harsh realities. In the courtroom, justice does not always prevail.
5 ‘The Runaway Jury’ (1996)
Rating: 4.02/5
“For him, the kicking of a bad habit was nothing but a simple act of willpower.” The Runaway Jury revolves around jury manipulation in a major tobacco trial. Juror Nicholas Easter and his girlfriend, Marlee, conspire to control the jury’s verdict. As the trial progresses, it becomes apparent that both the defense and the plaintiff are willing to go to extreme lengths to secure a favorable outcome, employing unethical tactics to sway the jury.
Here, Grisham ratchets up the tension all the way, with an unpredictable plot that pivots this way and that. At times, it comes across like a self-serious version of the TV show Bull but, overall, the story is compelling. Its main appeal is the fact that all the main characters are sneaky and manipulative. Each has dirty tricks up their sleeve, making this a battle of legal wits and flexible morals. This book, too, was made into a solid movie starring John Cusack and Gene Hackman.
4 ‘The Pelican Brief’ (1992)
Rating: 4.05/5
“The path to justice may be long and treacherous, but it is worth every step if it brings about a righteous outcome.” In this one, law student Darby Shaw stumbles upon a conspiracy after writing a legal brief speculating on the motives behind the assassinations of two Supreme Court justices. When the document, known as the “Pelican Brief,” falls into the wrong hands, Darby finds herself the target of ruthless killers and a vast cover-up that reaches the highest levels of government.
The legalese takes a backseat in The Pelican Brief, with the focus instead on political skullduggery, fearless journalism, CIA trickery, and the threat of violence. This is one of Grisham’s juiciest plots. Sure, most of the characters are one-dimensional and the story is pretty cartoonish, but the ideas of political hits and Supreme Court manipulation are arguably more plausible today than they were when this was published in the early ’90s.
3 ‘The Client’ (1993)
Rating: 4.05/5
“It’s amazing how lies grow.” The Client is an environmental thriller-mafia story hybrid centering on eleven-year-old Mark Sway. The boy becomes entangled in a deadly legal battle after witnessing the suicide of a lawyer who reveals the location of a murdered senator’s body. Mark, now a target of both the FBI and the mafia, finds himself in desperate need of protection. Enter Reggie Love, a feisty attorney who takes on Mark’s case and fights to keep him safe.
This is one of Grisham’s more crime-focused novels, replete with mob hits, toxic landfills, bodies being buried under concrete, and characters in witness protection. The book received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising the tension and others lamenting the slower narrative pace. Several accused it of prioritizing style over substance. Nevertheless, it resonated with readers, leading it to be made into a movie with Susan Sarandon and a TV series with JoBeth Williams.
2 ‘A Time To Kill’ (1989)
Rating: 4.11/5
“It was okay to be afraid – just don’t show it.” Although the title makes it sound like a James Bond ripoff, A Time is Kill is actually one of Grisham’s most affecting works, tackling themes of racism and justice in the Deep South. It was the author’s debut novel, rejected by several publishers before finally securing a small initial print run. It sold well, paving the way for all the books that would follow.
The story follows Jake Brigance, a small-town lawyer in Clanton, Mississippi, who takes on the case of Carl Lee Hailey, a Black man who has killed two white men who brutally assaulted his ten-year-old daughter. As Jake prepares for the trial, he faces immense pressure and danger from the community, which is deeply divided over the case. To Kill A Mockingbird, this is not, but it’s still an engaging premise fleshed out with complex characters. Once again, the legal system and personal justice are placed in conflict.
1 ‘The Firm’ (1991)
Rating: 4.24/5
“Any lawyer worth his salt knew the first offer had to be rejected.” The Firm was Grisham’s second published novel and the first to become a major bestseller, firmly placing him on the literary map. It focuses on Mitch McDeere, a talented young lawyer who joins Bendini, Lambert, and Locke, a prestigious law firm in Memphis. Mitch is initially dazzled by the firm’s lavish perks and high salary. However, he soon uncovers unsettling truths about his employers: the firm is deeply entangled in organized crime and money laundering.
For the book, Grisham drew on his own experiences as a law student and lawyer but mixed the legal aspect with crime thriller elements. This recipe was an instant success, with The Firm spending a whopping 47 weeks on the bestsellers lists. Grisham would emulate this blueprint many times in the decades to come, with varying degrees of success. But with The Firm, this premise was still innovative and fun, making the book one of Grisham’s most enjoyable novels and perhaps the one he will be most remembered for.
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