With his last several novels, I thought Grisham had gotten away from what he does best, and I see there is only one other Grisham book reviewed in the blog. So, I think we have both soured on his recent stuff. In this book, he’s back to the lawyer/crime novel with strong racial issues, the stuff he does best, the stuff that made him the household name that he is. This story mostly takes place in Texas because of the Texas laws that allow for the death penalty and the State’s frequent use of that punishment. This is a story about them misusing that penalty and killing the wrong man. That much of the plot is apparent from the start, so knowing that won’t ruin the story for you. Travis Boyette is the serial rapist and murderer who was never charged with this murder of Nicole Yarber, a 17-year-old high school cheerleader from Slone, Texas. Rather, it was Donte Drumm, a back high school athlete who was charged and sent to prison with the death sentence. Boyette confesses his crime to a Lutheran minister, Keith Schroeder, but the confession comes with only days to go before the execution when getting a reversal is unlikely. Then, Boyette does not fully cooperate with effort to save Drumm. Meanwhile, the town of Slone is set to explode with race riots if Drumm is killed. Grisham uses the charismatic and determined lawyer, Robbie Flak, as the man who rabidly pursues this matter, from one appellate level to another, only to have his appeals turned down time and again, despite glaring errors by the court, because of the good-old-boy and corrupt Texan court system. This one will grab you. There are unexpected twists in the plot. I’m glad to have Grisham back in my power rotation.
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