The Last Juror - John Grisham

Despite being a really big fan of John Grisham, I was mightily disappointed in the last effort I read “The King of Torts” (see previous review). It’s probably mainly for that reason that until now I had avoided picking up another John Grisham novel. However, at Christmas time, my husband always buys me books and there’s usually a pretty good chance of a Grisham book being in with them, as it’s the only name that appears to stay in his memory! This year he gave me “The Last Juror”. It’s now about three weeks since I finished it and since then I’ve been mulling over the story and how to present ... more

"After decades of patient mismanagement and loving neglect the Ford County Times went bankrupt in 1970." Our narrator goes on to tell us that the owner "Miss Emma" is strapped to a bed in a nursing home in Tupelo, and that her son, Wilson, in his seventies, has a plate in his head from "the First War"…and a propos the resultant scarring has laboured much of life under the nickname 'Spot' He has spent most of the last decade or so writing obituaries. And there you have it. The essence of the craft of a writer…or is it the art? The ability within less than a page to create an atmosphere. This is ... more

To quote one newspaper critic on the cover - 'the juggonaut that is Grisham' rolls on. This most appropriate epithet to the multi-bestselling list topper, describes one who has sold millions of copies of his blockbusters and who is also, a cracking story teller. For someone who wants a dollop of drama with a spoldge of social commentary thrown into their light fiction, then Grisham is the perfect choice. Not being a frequent flier, I cannot claim to have picked this up in an airport terminal, but it is great for relaxing and a bit of escapism. The Last Juror takes us back to the early days of ... more

I am an avid fan of John Grisham, and have read most of his books. Unfortunately I was let down by the dreadful Bleachers, which proved a big mistake for Grisham (in my eyes at least), as he moved away from a genre which had made his name, and made him a whole host of fans. Luckily enough, The Last Juror, has gone some way into allowing him to redeem himself. It’s not the best that he has written, but is very good. However, he still fails to capture the passion and suspense which was apparent in The Pelican Brief and The Firm. The Last Juror is set in Ford County, Mississippi in the early 70’s ... more

In 1970, The Ford County Times, a small newspaper in the backwaters of Mississippi went bankrupt. To the surprise of the town ownership was assumed by a 23-year-old college drop out named Willie Traynor. The future of the paper looked as bleak as its not too distant past, until the brutal rape and murder of a young mother by the notorious and secretive Padgitt family. Willie Traynor reports all the gruesome details and the newspaper begins to prosper. The murderer, Danny Padgitt was tried before a packed courtroom in Clanton, Mississippi. The trial climaxes with a threat from Danny, that if ... more