What do you think?
Rate this book
The Client
In a weedy clearing on the outskirts of Memphis, two boys watch a shiny Lincoln pull up to the curb...Eleven-year-old Mark Sway and his younger brother were sharing a forbidden cigarette when a chance encounter with a suicidal lawyer left Mark knowing a bloody and explosive secret: the whereabouts of the most sought-after dead body in America. Now Mark is caught between a legal system gone mad and a mob killer desperate to cover up his crime. And his only ally is a woman named Reggie Love, who has been a lawyer for all of four years. Prosecutors are willing to break all the rules to make Mark talk. The mob will stop at nothing to keep him quiet. And Reggie will do anything to protect her client --even take a last, desperate gamble that could win Mark his freedom... or cost them both their lives.
483 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1993
About the author
John Grisham
429 books82.5k followersJohn Grisham is the author of forty-nine consecutive #1 bestsellers, which have been translated into nearly fifty languages. His recent books include The Judge's List, Sooley, and his third Jake Brigance novel, A Time for Mercy, which is being developed by HBO as a limited series.
Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.
When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.
John lives on a farm in central Virginia.
Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.
When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.
John lives on a farm in central Virginia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,310 reviews
Read
October 19, 2019Knew the ending, but still enjoyed it.
February 6, 2024
Eleven year old Mark, after a traumatic altercation with a man hellbent on killing himself, knows the location of a murdered senator, information that only the mafia killer himself, knows! Mark, his young brother, his single-mum and their maverick woman lawyer not only have to navigate around the lethal intentions of the mafia, but the determined FBI and courts that are desperate for that information!
This is a remarkable commercial book in so many ways from the multi-faceted not-at-all-stereotypical characters through to such a well though out lead in the eleven year old, so well defining and balancing the vulnerability and the precociousness of a child that young! The story itself is an unrelenting siege on Mark and his family by people that want to either silence him or force him to testify. I am very much enjoying my first time journey into the worlds of Grisham so far. An 8 out of 12 Four Star read for me.
2024 read
This is a remarkable commercial book in so many ways from the multi-faceted not-at-all-stereotypical characters through to such a well though out lead in the eleven year old, so well defining and balancing the vulnerability and the precociousness of a child that young! The story itself is an unrelenting siege on Mark and his family by people that want to either silence him or force him to testify. I am very much enjoying my first time journey into the worlds of Grisham so far. An 8 out of 12 Four Star read for me.
2024 read
April 11, 2021
اخرج الصبي دولارا من جيبه {الان انت عميلي و انا محاميتك }..هكذا نتعرف على مارك الذي قرر ان يتذاكى و تدخل في انتحار صغير لطيف
ليتعرف على سر من الطراز الذي يودى بحامله الى داهية مؤكدة
جون جريشام عبقري الروايات القانونية الأمريكية المثيرة..{مبدع وقت للقتل و الشركة } يقتحم عالم المافيا بعروضهم اياها التي لا يمكن رفضها ابدا🔪🔫
فلو انت محامي و عرفت ان موكلك الوغد قتل عضو مجلس الشيوخ و اخفى جثته تحت الأسمنت الذي تركن عليه قاربك..لن تجد وقت لتسأل ماذا سافعل؟
البطل الضعيف دائما و ابدا وحده أمام قوى سياسية و إجرامية عاتية
👀فكرة جريشام المفضلة التي تروق للمتفاءلين من القراء بينما يراها الآخرين هندية مبتذلة بلهاء..مع تطويل و استطراد يميز روايات جريشام التي ذاع صيتها في التسعينات
ليتعرف على سر من الطراز الذي يودى بحامله الى داهية مؤكدة
جون جريشام عبقري الروايات القانونية الأمريكية المثيرة..{مبدع وقت للقتل و الشركة } يقتحم عالم المافيا بعروضهم اياها التي لا يمكن رفضها ابدا🔪🔫
فلو انت محامي و عرفت ان موكلك الوغد قتل عضو مجلس الشيوخ و اخفى جثته تحت الأسمنت الذي تركن عليه قاربك..لن تجد وقت لتسأل ماذا سافعل؟
البطل الضعيف دائما و ابدا وحده أمام قوى سياسية و إجرامية عاتية
👀فكرة جريشام المفضلة التي تروق للمتفاءلين من القراء بينما يراها الآخرين هندية مبتذلة بلهاء..مع تطويل و استطراد يميز روايات جريشام التي ذاع صيتها في التسعينات
August 23, 2012
Grisham has a way of writing a real page-turner. This was one of those books that I just couldn't put down. The suspense was intense, and the story was good.
When I finished the last page, and I finally did put it down, I couldn't help thinking I had just wasted my time. I mean, I was thoroughly entertained for every minute of the book, but when I was done, I was left with nothing but the memories of my entertainment.
Good book, excellent author, but lacking in anything real. I've read 4 Grisham novels... sometimes I just want to be entertained, I guess. If that's what you're looking for, then Grisham is your man. Pick any of his books. They're all the same.
The movie was okay. This is probably one of Grisham's weaker books, but I'm not that good of a judge. If you want 2 hours of great entertainment, watch the movie. If you want more than that, read the book.
Just like Grisham's novels, each of my reviews of his novels is almost identical to the last with only certain details changed to give it a new flavor.
Go ahead Grisham, sue me. Then, you can write a story about it.
When I finished the last page, and I finally did put it down, I couldn't help thinking I had just wasted my time. I mean, I was thoroughly entertained for every minute of the book, but when I was done, I was left with nothing but the memories of my entertainment.
Good book, excellent author, but lacking in anything real. I've read 4 Grisham novels... sometimes I just want to be entertained, I guess. If that's what you're looking for, then Grisham is your man. Pick any of his books. They're all the same.
The movie was okay. This is probably one of Grisham's weaker books, but I'm not that good of a judge. If you want 2 hours of great entertainment, watch the movie. If you want more than that, read the book.
Just like Grisham's novels, each of my reviews of his novels is almost identical to the last with only certain details changed to give it a new flavor.
Go ahead Grisham, sue me. Then, you can write a story about it.
March 16, 2022
اخرج الصبي دولارا من جيبه {الان انت عميلي و انا محاميتك }..هكذا نتعرف على مارك الذي قرر ان يتذاكى و تدخل في انتحار صغير لطيف
ليتعرف على سر من الطراز الذي يودى بحامله الى داهية مؤكدة
جون جريشام عبقري الروايات القانونية الأمريكية المثيرة..{مبدع وقت للقتل و الشركة } يقتحم عالم المافيا بعروضهم اياها التي لا يمكن رفضها ابدا🔪🔫
فلو انت محامي و عرفت ان موكلك الوغد قتل عضو مجلس الشيوخ و اخفى جثته تحت الأسمنت الذي تركن عليه قاربك..لن تجد وقت لتسأل ماذا سافعل؟
البطل الضعيف دائما و ابدا وحده أمام قوى سياسية و إجرامية عاتية
👀فكرة جريشام المفضلة التي تروق للمتفاءلين من القراء بينما يراها الآخرين هندية مبتذلة بلهاء..مع تطويل و استطراد يميز روايات جريشام التي ذاع صيتها في التسعينات
ليتعرف على سر من الطراز الذي يودى بحامله الى داهية مؤكدة
جون جريشام عبقري الروايات القانونية الأمريكية المثيرة..{مبدع وقت للقتل و الشركة } يقتحم عالم المافيا بعروضهم اياها التي لا يمكن رفضها ابدا🔪🔫
فلو انت محامي و عرفت ان موكلك الوغد قتل عضو مجلس الشيوخ و اخفى جثته تحت الأسمنت الذي تركن عليه قاربك..لن تجد وقت لتسأل ماذا سافعل؟
البطل الضعيف دائما و ابدا وحده أمام قوى سياسية و إجرامية عاتية
👀فكرة جريشام المفضلة التي تروق للمتفاءلين من القراء بينما يراها الآخرين هندية مبتذلة بلهاء..مع تطويل و استطراد يميز روايات جريشام التي ذاع صيتها في التسعينات
December 6, 2020
John Grisham's 'the Firm' was what really got into reading novels over 300 pages. The story gripped me and got me over my fear of so many pages. So, I kept reading John's first 8 books or so as they were published.
I remember reading this in 1995 and loving the tough as nails lawyer of Reggie. I appreciated how she called people by their first names when they weren't used to it to level the playing field. She helps a kid in a tough situation. John has a gift for making the law exciting and dramatic.
I saw the movie and thought that Susan Sarandon was perfect in the movie. John was really on a hot streak here and it catapulted him into the big leagues. I stopped reading him after a while, but I suspect he is still an very entertaining read. I did read the Camino series 1st book about a book seller and that was a whole lot of fun.
I used to own all of these 8 book in hardback and some even were signed by Grisham. He is the only book signing I've been too and it was in my home town in 1994 at a mall when a mall still had bookstores in them. When I moved to Baltimore, I donated my Grisham books to the library so I no longer have any copies.
If you are looking for a quick legal thriller or a page turning book, this would be a good one, but I would start with the Firm, next, the Pelican Brief and then this one.
I remember reading this in 1995 and loving the tough as nails lawyer of Reggie. I appreciated how she called people by their first names when they weren't used to it to level the playing field. She helps a kid in a tough situation. John has a gift for making the law exciting and dramatic.
I saw the movie and thought that Susan Sarandon was perfect in the movie. John was really on a hot streak here and it catapulted him into the big leagues. I stopped reading him after a while, but I suspect he is still an very entertaining read. I did read the Camino series 1st book about a book seller and that was a whole lot of fun.
I used to own all of these 8 book in hardback and some even were signed by Grisham. He is the only book signing I've been too and it was in my home town in 1994 at a mall when a mall still had bookstores in them. When I moved to Baltimore, I donated my Grisham books to the library so I no longer have any copies.
If you are looking for a quick legal thriller or a page turning book, this would be a good one, but I would start with the Firm, next, the Pelican Brief and then this one.
February 22, 2010
The book tells of a boy who happens upon a mob lawyer who commits suicide. But before he commits suicide, he divulges information on where the body of the murdered Senator was hidden by his mob boss. Fearing reprisal by the mob or the FBI for lying, he hires a lawyer to get him out of this mess.
I only slightly dislike this book because the premise of the book is weak. I could not get over the fact that the kid could have avoided the whole suspense by telling the FBI the truth about the body of the Senator. In that way, he and his immediate family could have gone into the Witness Protection Program and considering his mother's miserable job, the WPP would actually be step up from his current life. Also, his lawyer could have advised him to tell the FBI so the kid would be in WPP instead of a possible target of the mafia. The excitement of the book did not have purpose to it so this is the reason the book sucked.
And what is wrong with Assistant Attorney General, he already knew the kid was not talking because he was scarred for his life and the life of his family so could he not cut a deal with the FBI to expedite the WPP?
What is wrong with the mother? Sure it would be a hastle to be in the WPP but their lives are already in danger! So, the WPP would actually be safer for them instead of having their identity known currently.
This is an idiotic and unbelievable plot.
I guess the only redeeming quality about this book is the relationship between the kid and the 52 year old lawyer in which they both alternated being the adult in the relationship. For that, I will give this book 1.5.
I only slightly dislike this book because the premise of the book is weak. I could not get over the fact that the kid could have avoided the whole suspense by telling the FBI the truth about the body of the Senator. In that way, he and his immediate family could have gone into the Witness Protection Program and considering his mother's miserable job, the WPP would actually be step up from his current life. Also, his lawyer could have advised him to tell the FBI so the kid would be in WPP instead of a possible target of the mafia. The excitement of the book did not have purpose to it so this is the reason the book sucked.
And what is wrong with Assistant Attorney General, he already knew the kid was not talking because he was scarred for his life and the life of his family so could he not cut a deal with the FBI to expedite the WPP?
What is wrong with the mother? Sure it would be a hastle to be in the WPP but their lives are already in danger! So, the WPP would actually be safer for them instead of having their identity known currently.
This is an idiotic and unbelievable plot.
I guess the only redeeming quality about this book is the relationship between the kid and the 52 year old lawyer in which they both alternated being the adult in the relationship. For that, I will give this book 1.5.
March 13, 2018
The Client, John Grisham
The Client (1993) is a legal thriller written by American author John Grisham, set mostly in Memphis, Tennessee and New Orleans, Louisiana. It is Grisham's fourth novel.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: ماه اکتبر سال 2009 میلادی
عنوان: موکل؛ نویسنده: جان گریشام؛ مترجم: هادی عادلپور؛ تهران، کوشش، 1373؛ در 512 ص؛
عنوان: موکل خطرناک؛ نویسنده: جان گریشام؛ مترجم: محمد قصاع؛ تهران، البرز، 1373؛ در 472 ص؛:
عنوان: موکل؛ نویسنده: جان گریشام؛ مترجم: قیطاس مردانی راد؛ تهران، سروش، 1376؛ در 623 ص؛ شابک: 9644352866؛
کتاب «موکل»، با عنوان «موکل خطرناک»، در: 473 صفحه، توسط نشر البرز نیز، منتشر شده است. داستان درباره «مایک» پسرکی یازده ساله، و برادرش «ریکی» است که ناخواسته شاهد خودکشی مردی در علفزارهای کنار خانه خویش هستند، «مایک» به دلیل شرایط سخت زندگی، خود را پشتیبان مادر، و برادر کوچکترش میداند، او برای نجات مرد نیز سعی میکند، اما، گیر میافتد. مرد تصمیم میخواهد که در پایان لحظات عمرش، تنها به سوی مرگ نرود، او میخواهد «مایک» نیز، همراهش باشد. مرد از راز قتل یکی از سناتورهای امریکایی، توسط موکل خویش پرده برمیدارد، و به «مایک» میگوید: موکلش جنازه آن سناتور را، که کل ایالت به دنبالش هستند، زیر پارکینگ خانه او، دفن کرده است! از آن لحظه به بعد، «مایک» اطلاعاتی پیدا میکند، که زندگی کودکانه و ساده او را، وارد بازی خطرناکی با پلیس و مافیا میکند. ا. شربیانی
The Client (1993) is a legal thriller written by American author John Grisham, set mostly in Memphis, Tennessee and New Orleans, Louisiana. It is Grisham's fourth novel.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: ماه اکتبر سال 2009 میلادی
عنوان: موکل؛ نویسنده: جان گریشام؛ مترجم: هادی عادلپور؛ تهران، کوشش، 1373؛ در 512 ص؛
عنوان: موکل خطرناک؛ نویسنده: جان گریشام؛ مترجم: محمد قصاع؛ تهران، البرز، 1373؛ در 472 ص؛:
عنوان: موکل؛ نویسنده: جان گریشام؛ مترجم: قیطاس مردانی راد؛ تهران، سروش، 1376؛ در 623 ص؛ شابک: 9644352866؛
کتاب «موکل»، با عنوان «موکل خطرناک»، در: 473 صفحه، توسط نشر البرز نیز، منتشر شده است. داستان درباره «مایک» پسرکی یازده ساله، و برادرش «ریکی» است که ناخواسته شاهد خودکشی مردی در علفزارهای کنار خانه خویش هستند، «مایک» به دلیل شرایط سخت زندگی، خود را پشتیبان مادر، و برادر کوچکترش میداند، او برای نجات مرد نیز سعی میکند، اما، گیر میافتد. مرد تصمیم میخواهد که در پایان لحظات عمرش، تنها به سوی مرگ نرود، او میخواهد «مایک» نیز، همراهش باشد. مرد از راز قتل یکی از سناتورهای امریکایی، توسط موکل خویش پرده برمیدارد، و به «مایک» میگوید: موکلش جنازه آن سناتور را، که کل ایالت به دنبالش هستند، زیر پارکینگ خانه او، دفن کرده است! از آن لحظه به بعد، «مایک» اطلاعاتی پیدا میکند، که زندگی کودکانه و ساده او را، وارد بازی خطرناکی با پلیس و مافیا میکند. ا. شربیانی
August 13, 2018
I read this before the move was made. This the perfect example of how very much American laws & justices system is so different from British law special with children.
This an excellent crime court room drama that only Grisham could write as he was trained court lawyer which is needed to get the facts dead right. After all you need how to crack eggs to make an omelette you would not expect a bricklayer to try to make a swimming pool on upstairs flat.
This like all his books twists & turns like top in hands of a master spinner.
This an excellent crime court room drama that only Grisham could write as he was trained court lawyer which is needed to get the facts dead right. After all you need how to crack eggs to make an omelette you would not expect a bricklayer to try to make a swimming pool on upstairs flat.
This like all his books twists & turns like top in hands of a master spinner.
May 8, 2019
This was a really terrific read, a great story line with some memorable characters.
Two young boys, brothers, are unwitting witnesses to a suicide. The older boy does all he can to stop the man from this act but to no avail. The man shoots himself in the head but before doing so he tells the young boys, Mark Sway, his reason for doing it. This information now marks Mark as a threat to the MOB. The FBI is desperate for Mark to reveal all he’s been told but after being threatened by the MOB to keep his mouth shut or his brother and mother will suffer Mark is terrified to say a word.
At this point Mark gets Reggie Love, a defence lawyer, to protect him from all the law enforcement people and so protect him from the MOB.
Between Mark, who doesn’t lack for cunning and intelligence, and Reggie they manage to keep one step ahead of both the Mob and the FBI.
The Sway family started with nothing very much but now they have quite literally nothing at all. Their trailer home, along with all their personal effects, has been burned to the ground. It’s up to Reggie and Mark to keep everyone safe whilst trying to do the right thing and hopefully survive this ordeal.
What follows is a very intense cat and mouse thriller.
A highly readable tale. 4/5 stars.
Two young boys, brothers, are unwitting witnesses to a suicide. The older boy does all he can to stop the man from this act but to no avail. The man shoots himself in the head but before doing so he tells the young boys, Mark Sway, his reason for doing it. This information now marks Mark as a threat to the MOB. The FBI is desperate for Mark to reveal all he’s been told but after being threatened by the MOB to keep his mouth shut or his brother and mother will suffer Mark is terrified to say a word.
At this point Mark gets Reggie Love, a defence lawyer, to protect him from all the law enforcement people and so protect him from the MOB.
Between Mark, who doesn’t lack for cunning and intelligence, and Reggie they manage to keep one step ahead of both the Mob and the FBI.
The Sway family started with nothing very much but now they have quite literally nothing at all. Their trailer home, along with all their personal effects, has been burned to the ground. It’s up to Reggie and Mark to keep everyone safe whilst trying to do the right thing and hopefully survive this ordeal.
What follows is a very intense cat and mouse thriller.
A highly readable tale. 4/5 stars.
January 9, 2021
Murder,the mob and an eleven year old kid,this is a Grisham thriller with a humorous touch.
Mark is an eleven year old kid,who lives with his mother and brother in a trailer.He witnesses the suicide of a mafia lawyer,who tells him an explosive secret before he dies.
A US senator is missing.Is he even alive and if not,where is the body ? Mark now knows something that both the FBI and the mafia are interested in finding out.
As the pressure on him increases,he succeeds in finding a female lawyer who specializes in helping abused children.Combined with Mark's own resourcefulness,will she be able to extricate him from the mess he finds himself in ?
Fairly interesting,but as usual for Grisham, longish.
Mark is an eleven year old kid,who lives with his mother and brother in a trailer.He witnesses the suicide of a mafia lawyer,who tells him an explosive secret before he dies.
A US senator is missing.Is he even alive and if not,where is the body ? Mark now knows something that both the FBI and the mafia are interested in finding out.
As the pressure on him increases,he succeeds in finding a female lawyer who specializes in helping abused children.Combined with Mark's own resourcefulness,will she be able to extricate him from the mess he finds himself in ?
Fairly interesting,but as usual for Grisham, longish.
February 9, 2020
It was okay. Too long and slow. There are better Grisham books.
July 18, 2014
This was just what I wanted, a quick read, some action and a good fast paced storyline. So what if the hero was a 10 year old boy, I enjoyed it! My attention was held throughout, which is my sign of a good read, and the main characters were all likeable. Mark and Reggie were loveable in their own ways, and it was fun seeing the youngster outsmart the thugs and the FBI. I highly recommend this book if you're after an easy read.
January 27, 2024
For sure, that's Grisham at his best! This one has everything to satisfy even the pickiest thriller reader: a very good plot and a perfect timing, at least two memorable characters, plenty of drama, a lot of human kindness, and for old naive fools like myself, a happy ending.
PS: The 1994 movie made after the book was also a big hit. Unfortunately, "the Client" himself, Brad Renfro as Mark Sway, passed in 2008, aged only 25...
PS: The 1994 movie made after the book was also a big hit. Unfortunately, "the Client" himself, Brad Renfro as Mark Sway, passed in 2008, aged only 25...
March 16, 2021
The beginning of Grisham's "The Client" is very plausible and exciting. He creates a horrifying, nightmarish scenario of violence and desperation for one precocious 11 year old boy and his brother. But can a precocious 11 year old have the maturity of a fearless seasoned man? Apparently this one goes on to, and that's where the story losses points for me. I think I would have made the kid at least 15 years old.
It also feels like this may have been written with the idea of an eventual movie deal. And unfortunately that was the early '90s where films were over produced and the stories created were maybe over dramatized, exaggerated or splashed with a little too much hyperbole.
3.4 stars
It also feels like this may have been written with the idea of an eventual movie deal. And unfortunately that was the early '90s where films were over produced and the stories created were maybe over dramatized, exaggerated or splashed with a little too much hyperbole.
3.4 stars
November 3, 2020
De este autor sólo había leído La tapadera y le puse 4 estrellas. Este repite la nota.
Creo que todo el mundo conoce al autor y al tipo de novelas que hace : tipo intriga con mafia y juicios. Aquí de intriga poco, lo único ver como va desarrollando la trama. Eso sí, mafia, juicios, abogados, fiscales y FBI los tienes todo el rato.
Las cuatro estrellas son apuradas porque sus personajes no me convencen para nada, intriga poca....pero quieres seguir leyendo.
La cosa va de un crío que conoce un secreto y la mafia no quiere que lo cuente y el fiscal obviamente necesita saberlo y presionan al chaval -11 añitos - entre unos y otros y hay abogados y jueces e por medio. Parece ser que esto debe de ser "puro Grisham".
Me reafirmo en lo que dije en la review del anterior: le mantengo como fondo de armario pero no me emociona. Este sería un gran aspirante a esas famosas 3,5 estrellas que GR no tiene.
Creo que todo el mundo conoce al autor y al tipo de novelas que hace : tipo intriga con mafia y juicios. Aquí de intriga poco, lo único ver como va desarrollando la trama. Eso sí, mafia, juicios, abogados, fiscales y FBI los tienes todo el rato.
Las cuatro estrellas son apuradas porque sus personajes no me convencen para nada, intriga poca....pero quieres seguir leyendo.
La cosa va de un crío que conoce un secreto y la mafia no quiere que lo cuente y el fiscal obviamente necesita saberlo y presionan al chaval -11 añitos - entre unos y otros y hay abogados y jueces e por medio. Parece ser que esto debe de ser "puro Grisham".
Me reafirmo en lo que dije en la review del anterior: le mantengo como fondo de armario pero no me emociona. Este sería un gran aspirante a esas famosas 3,5 estrellas que GR no tiene.
November 21, 2020
An odd book. So unsuspenseful, so bland. No courtroom drama. There aren't even any interesting legal issues involved. An 11-year-old boy (wise beyond his years) and his quinquagenarian lawyer (who is strangely referred to as "cute" several times, once by the boy) spend the whole book trying to avoid having him reveal to the legal system where a body is buried, information he has come by accidentally. At the end, he reveals where the body is buried, making the whole struggle moot. But the killer's punishment is unaddressed, just left for us to assume. None of this would be unforgivably objectionable except that the book at 482 pages is about 200 pages too long. It's not badly written, just too much words.
September 28, 2022
4.5 Stars
A story that spans six days.
An eleven-year-old boy who sometimes seems like a terrorist, and then cries like a child. He is a child, though.
A fifty-two-year-old lawyer who has been a lawyer for four years, and wants to do everything to save her client.
A body of a dead senator whose whereabouts were only known to Mark, after a lawyer committed suicide.
A prosecution who would go to any lengths to make the kid talk.
And a mafia who would also go to any lengths to make the kid not talk.
And then what ensues is an eleven-year-old bringing down the Mafia, along with his lawyer, only if they are not dead first.
I wish I could be one percent of what Mark is.
A story that spans six days.
An eleven-year-old boy who sometimes seems like a terrorist, and then cries like a child. He is a child, though.
A fifty-two-year-old lawyer who has been a lawyer for four years, and wants to do everything to save her client.
A body of a dead senator whose whereabouts were only known to Mark, after a lawyer committed suicide.
A prosecution who would go to any lengths to make the kid talk.
And a mafia who would also go to any lengths to make the kid not talk.
And then what ensues is an eleven-year-old bringing down the Mafia, along with his lawyer, only if they are not dead first.
I wish I could be one percent of what Mark is.
September 22, 2016
Neither a court room dram nor a gripping thriller. The climax is really over the top.
August 4, 2023
I clearly remember the scene in Black Hawk Down, that soldier(soldier's name and the actor's name forgotten, Tom Hardy maybe), he popped into the chopper cabin, holding this book, a paperback edition with the cover, some hours later he died
This scene engraved in my mind more than the Joel Schumacher film had done to me
This scene engraved in my mind more than the Joel Schumacher film had done to me
July 28, 2018
It all started when Mark Sway (11) took his younger brother Ricky (8) in a secluded part of a park to teach him how to smoke. They were just doing their business when a shiny car arrived and apparently the driver was trying to kill himself and did so by the end. Suddenly Mark along with his brother(who suffers a trauma) became witnesses of not only a suicide of a well-known lawyer, but Mark knows more than that. This is a story of an 11-year old boy caught up in a legal drama too big for himself but he has help. His 52-year old lawyer, Reggie Loves, will do everything to ensure Mark and his family is safe and that he's not being denied with all his rights.
It's no secret that this book is the first real novel that I've ever read my entire reading life. I was eight and because of this book I became a reader and started dreaming of becoming a writer someday. So I might be biased with my rating and I'll tell you why in a moment. this book isn't perfect.
First of all, whatever genre you see on Goodreads listed with this book, do NOT believe it. Because if you go into this book thinking of a wrong genre, you'll be disappointed. This is NOT a legal Thriller, not even a Mystery or Suspense, this book is a plain Legal Drama, period. There's no secret or puzzle, you, as a reader, would try to solve. There is no on-edge-of-the-seat feeling. Okay? And since this is not a whodunit thriller/suspense, I do understand if the story doesn't appeal to everyone. But interesting things happened very early in the book that I can say Grisham doesn't waste his time or mine, and pages. He got on with the juicy parts so early.
But like I said, this book isn't perfect.
It's the plot. What makes it NOT a thriller? because the plot was plain. I'm not gonna call it weak but others might. You see the whole conflict could've been avoided if Mark Sway, our protagonist, told the truth from the very beginning. With little help from other, especially from his amazing lawyer, Reggie, things could've been solved earlier. But I like to think John Grisham really wanted this book to be more character-driven than plotwise, unlike most of his books.
And I must say, he did a great job with it. You see, despite the plot, and that despite the fact that you can guess everything, including the end in 30% mark, you'll still read the whole thing because by then you're already invested on Mark Sway and his lawyer. The moment Mark was introduced in first chapter, I was sold. The opening scene with Mark trying to teach his younger brother how to smoke was just so adorable. Not that I find smoking adorable, but Mark, really, you have no choice but to love him. He's one of the most interesting characters I know.
I just love hearing/reading his thoughts. And I think Mark is top of the reasons why I fell in love with this book before. John Grisham really did a great job introducing his MC in this way. Mark's POV, or voice, is realistic for an 11-year old but his uniqueness is apparent making him more interesting than any other 11-year old. I mean he calls his father, his ex-father. hehe. And the way he thinks of himself as the man in the house so he protects his mother and Ricky seriously.
And as soon as he became the center of this legal drama, my heart went to him completely. His fear is apparent, it broke my heart. He was still smart and strong but that doesn't change the fact that he's just a kid. No matter how many times he said he's mature enough. He's a product of a broken family and of an abusive father but he turned out to be great kid.
Overall, I highly recommend this book. This isn't Grisham's best work(I'll get to that soon as I reread all his books), but you'll enjoy it. Again, mind the genre. be sure you knwo the right genre.
Happy Reading Guys,
| Bookstagram | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Blog |
It's no secret that this book is the first real novel that I've ever read my entire reading life. I was eight and because of this book I became a reader and started dreaming of becoming a writer someday. So I might be biased with my rating and I'll tell you why in a moment. this book isn't perfect.
First of all, whatever genre you see on Goodreads listed with this book, do NOT believe it. Because if you go into this book thinking of a wrong genre, you'll be disappointed. This is NOT a legal Thriller, not even a Mystery or Suspense, this book is a plain Legal Drama, period. There's no secret or puzzle, you, as a reader, would try to solve. There is no on-edge-of-the-seat feeling. Okay? And since this is not a whodunit thriller/suspense, I do understand if the story doesn't appeal to everyone. But interesting things happened very early in the book that I can say Grisham doesn't waste his time or mine, and pages. He got on with the juicy parts so early.
But like I said, this book isn't perfect.
It's the plot. What makes it NOT a thriller? because the plot was plain. I'm not gonna call it weak but others might. You see the whole conflict could've been avoided if Mark Sway, our protagonist, told the truth from the very beginning. With little help from other, especially from his amazing lawyer, Reggie, things could've been solved earlier. But I like to think John Grisham really wanted this book to be more character-driven than plotwise, unlike most of his books.
And I must say, he did a great job with it. You see, despite the plot, and that despite the fact that you can guess everything, including the end in 30% mark, you'll still read the whole thing because by then you're already invested on Mark Sway and his lawyer. The moment Mark was introduced in first chapter, I was sold. The opening scene with Mark trying to teach his younger brother how to smoke was just so adorable. Not that I find smoking adorable, but Mark, really, you have no choice but to love him. He's one of the most interesting characters I know.
I just love hearing/reading his thoughts. And I think Mark is top of the reasons why I fell in love with this book before. John Grisham really did a great job introducing his MC in this way. Mark's POV, or voice, is realistic for an 11-year old but his uniqueness is apparent making him more interesting than any other 11-year old. I mean he calls his father, his ex-father. hehe. And the way he thinks of himself as the man in the house so he protects his mother and Ricky seriously.
And as soon as he became the center of this legal drama, my heart went to him completely. His fear is apparent, it broke my heart. He was still smart and strong but that doesn't change the fact that he's just a kid. No matter how many times he said he's mature enough. He's a product of a broken family and of an abusive father but he turned out to be great kid.
Overall, I highly recommend this book. This isn't Grisham's best work(I'll get to that soon as I reread all his books), but you'll enjoy it. Again, mind the genre. be sure you knwo the right genre.
Happy Reading Guys,
| Bookstagram | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Blog |
December 6, 2016
I remember when Grisham books were all the rage and surely read this one back in the day but honestly, I remember almost nothing about it. I believe it was your typical adult thriller but with almost no sex (this was the 80s after all) and just the typical jumping the shark kinds of hijinks. I know it because both a film and a TV series based on the idea of toxic waste by powerful companies and the way they attack whistleblowers and that is all great but I honestly don't recall being blown away by the quality of the writing itself.
January 27, 2013
I had seen the movie years ago so I had a general idea about the book. The book is so much better than the movies. The book goes into so much more detail. It's so life like with the Mob element and how devious the goverment is when trying to pursue their agenda.
November 3, 2016
I like every book that Grisham wrote, period. This story is about a crazy, just horrible dilemma. Didn't like the movie…but hey, movies are almost always worse than a book, because they cut out a lot of stuff, they change the story plus, you don't have your own imagination portrayed in a movie.
April 30, 2021
Due to eye issues Alexa reads to me, I read this novel in 2020. I was very sick at the time with shingles which I still suffer with. I gave it 5 star so I must have enjoyed it. Enjoy reading 2020
December 8, 2022
Un thriller contundente que sabe cómo cautivar y someter al lector desde sus primeros párrafos con un efectivo dominio de la acción y del drama judicial. Grisham hace un despliegue de destreza narrativa en la composición de esta historia sobre un niño que atestigua un suicidio y que acaba inmiscuido en un peligroso caso criminal que lo pondrá en la mira no sólo de la mafia sino también del fbi. ¿Qué puede hacer una criatura de 11 años con un secreto? ¿Qué están dispuestos a hacer otros por sacarle la verdad? El autor no decepciona con sus respuestas a estas preguntas.
Mark, el joven protagonista que interrumpe en la escena de suicidio de un famoso abogado de la mafia y que acaba siendo, contra su voluntad, receptor de un secreto que le trastornará la vida y que le convertirá en objeto de persecuciones, amenazas y hostigamiento policial en su condición de agente clave en la resolución de un caso que moviliza a los más altos estratos de la justicia. Solo, o casi, con un hermano menor en estado de shock post traumático, una madre recluida en una sala de hospital al cuidado de su hijo menor y una nueva, insólita aliada en la forma de la abogada Reggie Love, acabará plantándole cara a las fuerzas policiacas, a los matones y a cualquiera que lo haya subestimado. Es un niño, sí, pero es también un personaje complejo, con traumas, angustias, una forzosa madurez a causa de sus experiencias de vida y una imperturbable inocencia que aún lucha por prevalecer.
Reggie Love, la otra gran protagonista de esta historia, encarna toda la bondad y generosidad de quien batalla por la justicia incluso conociendo los costados injustos de ésta en un feroz intento por robarle a la vida un poco de dignidad para los más pequeños o más vulnerados. Es un personaje astuto, valiente e irremediablemente querible que pisa fuerte desde un comienzo y que logra una entrañable química con el niño que elige proteger.
La novela es extensa, sí, pero no es jamás tediosa. Su estructura es ágil, su desenvolvimiento por el mundo policial accesible y sus motivaciones lo suficientemente válidas y creíbles para mantener a la historia andando. Hay miedo, a la muerte, a la justicia, a perjudicar a seres queridos, a que lo peor de los seres humanos venza. Hay acción, hay afecto, hay interesantes argumentos y hay una prosa lo bastante cuidada y sencilla como para que cualquiera pueda gozarla.
Mark, el joven protagonista que interrumpe en la escena de suicidio de un famoso abogado de la mafia y que acaba siendo, contra su voluntad, receptor de un secreto que le trastornará la vida y que le convertirá en objeto de persecuciones, amenazas y hostigamiento policial en su condición de agente clave en la resolución de un caso que moviliza a los más altos estratos de la justicia. Solo, o casi, con un hermano menor en estado de shock post traumático, una madre recluida en una sala de hospital al cuidado de su hijo menor y una nueva, insólita aliada en la forma de la abogada Reggie Love, acabará plantándole cara a las fuerzas policiacas, a los matones y a cualquiera que lo haya subestimado. Es un niño, sí, pero es también un personaje complejo, con traumas, angustias, una forzosa madurez a causa de sus experiencias de vida y una imperturbable inocencia que aún lucha por prevalecer.
Reggie Love, la otra gran protagonista de esta historia, encarna toda la bondad y generosidad de quien batalla por la justicia incluso conociendo los costados injustos de ésta en un feroz intento por robarle a la vida un poco de dignidad para los más pequeños o más vulnerados. Es un personaje astuto, valiente e irremediablemente querible que pisa fuerte desde un comienzo y que logra una entrañable química con el niño que elige proteger.
La novela es extensa, sí, pero no es jamás tediosa. Su estructura es ágil, su desenvolvimiento por el mundo policial accesible y sus motivaciones lo suficientemente válidas y creíbles para mantener a la historia andando. Hay miedo, a la muerte, a la justicia, a perjudicar a seres queridos, a que lo peor de los seres humanos venza. Hay acción, hay afecto, hay interesantes argumentos y hay una prosa lo bastante cuidada y sencilla como para que cualquiera pueda gozarla.
February 23, 2009
I'm usually a fan of John Grisham books but this was kind of a bore. Its based around an 11 year old boy who acts, thinks, and speaks as if he is a 30 something year old man. Is it just me or did some readers also get frustrated towards the end of the book?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
June 28, 2010Caution: spoiler.
I always like Grisham's books in spite of the cartoonish political spin (Republicans uniformly evil; Democrats caring, sensitive, kind). This, his fourth book, was surely not one of his best, but only because there is a mile-wide hole in the plot. The solution to the dilemma of little Mark -- who possesses the secret of where the Senator's body is buried
-- was so overwhelmingly clear within the first 100 pages that each successive machination of Reggie's, each attempt to protect and shield him variously from the mob, the FBI, and the evil Republican prosecutor, became more and more frustrating (but funnier) as the book wore on. How could a clever writer like John Grisham have missed it? How could his clever editors not have noticed?
It's simple: When Mark first dumped his secret on Reggie, she could have (and should have, and any smart lawyer would have) simply said, "Mark, you don't need a lawyer. And you don't have to talk face to face with the police or the FBI. All you have to do is make an anonymous phone call to the FBI (or the New Orleans police, or the Attorney General's office, or all three), and tell them where the body is buried. They will ask you who you are. You will tell them that you won't say because you are afraid the mafia will kill you. Then just hang up. (Alternatively, if Reggie is afraid that police might connect the young voice of the anonymous caller with the young boy who saw the suicide and was being interviewed by them, she could simply have had her secretary, Clint, make the call -- or make it herself). No law-breaking; no obstruction of justice; no detention; no court proceedings, nada.
Of course, there is no book either if Reggie does the smart thing. But then there would also not have been a million readers who saw the obvious hole in the story and said, "What was John Grisham thinking of?"
I always like Grisham's books in spite of the cartoonish political spin (Republicans uniformly evil; Democrats caring, sensitive, kind). This, his fourth book, was surely not one of his best, but only because there is a mile-wide hole in the plot. The solution to the dilemma of little Mark -- who possesses the secret of where the Senator's body is buried
-- was so overwhelmingly clear within the first 100 pages that each successive machination of Reggie's, each attempt to protect and shield him variously from the mob, the FBI, and the evil Republican prosecutor, became more and more frustrating (but funnier) as the book wore on. How could a clever writer like John Grisham have missed it? How could his clever editors not have noticed?
It's simple: When Mark first dumped his secret on Reggie, she could have (and should have, and any smart lawyer would have) simply said, "Mark, you don't need a lawyer. And you don't have to talk face to face with the police or the FBI. All you have to do is make an anonymous phone call to the FBI (or the New Orleans police, or the Attorney General's office, or all three), and tell them where the body is buried. They will ask you who you are. You will tell them that you won't say because you are afraid the mafia will kill you. Then just hang up. (Alternatively, if Reggie is afraid that police might connect the young voice of the anonymous caller with the young boy who saw the suicide and was being interviewed by them, she could simply have had her secretary, Clint, make the call -- or make it herself). No law-breaking; no obstruction of justice; no detention; no court proceedings, nada.
Of course, there is no book either if Reggie does the smart thing. But then there would also not have been a million readers who saw the obvious hole in the story and said, "What was John Grisham thinking of?"
May 11, 2018
The Law, the Mob, a murder - and the mind of an eleven year old child...
Mark Sway and his younger brother Ricky set off to a secret location to sneak a quick smoke. They hear noises and realise they aren't alone. A vehicle arrives and a man in a business suit begins apparently attempting to kill himself by allowing the exhaust fumes to fill his car. The two young boys watch in horror as they realise what is happening. Mark decides to intervene...
I kept reading this to confirm the ending which was relatively predictable. The story had enough drama and excitement in places, but in others it was pedestrian and long winded.
There was some bad language, and obviously some violence due to the subject matter. Grisham doesn't tend to get too graphic and is usually tolerable even for sensitive readers. There is a suicide/murder theme.
The moral lessons here are a little topsy turvy. Mark seems to be in a position where telling the truth would place him in serious danger. He lies and adults protect those lies. However, the Bible tells us; "Be sure your sin will find you out." Mark could've told the truth then trusted God to protect him. Regardless, all truth will be revealed one day and God will be the Judge.
This was readable if a little long...
Mark Sway and his younger brother Ricky set off to a secret location to sneak a quick smoke. They hear noises and realise they aren't alone. A vehicle arrives and a man in a business suit begins apparently attempting to kill himself by allowing the exhaust fumes to fill his car. The two young boys watch in horror as they realise what is happening. Mark decides to intervene...
I kept reading this to confirm the ending which was relatively predictable. The story had enough drama and excitement in places, but in others it was pedestrian and long winded.
There was some bad language, and obviously some violence due to the subject matter. Grisham doesn't tend to get too graphic and is usually tolerable even for sensitive readers. There is a suicide/murder theme.
The moral lessons here are a little topsy turvy. Mark seems to be in a position where telling the truth would place him in serious danger. He lies and adults protect those lies. However, the Bible tells us; "Be sure your sin will find you out." Mark could've told the truth then trusted God to protect him. Regardless, all truth will be revealed one day and God will be the Judge.
This was readable if a little long...
May 31, 2014
This was my very first book that I've read by John Grisham, and I absolutely loved it, I really like his writing style and the book just really seems to drag you right into the story. I had never heard of Grisham until I had seen the movie The Client with Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones, and I've watched the movie several times, and my mom told me that the movie was based on a novel by John Grisham and she said he writes courtroom dramas. The book was excellent and very easy to follow, great characters and a lot of suspense and edge of your seat moments. A real page turner.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,310 reviews