In a weedy lot on the outskirts of memphis, two boys watch a shiny Lincoln pull upt ot the curb… Eleven-year-old Mark Sway and his younger brother were sharing a forbidden cigarrette when a chance encounter with a suicidal laywer 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 … 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.
BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from John Grisham’s The Litigators.
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I have always enjoyed this book. It’s so well-written and the characters were beautifully developed. I felt like I knew them and the author made them relatable. I like books that take you on an epic journey emotionally and this one does it in many ways.
A great tale about a street smart kid and a young lawyer who will do anything to protect him from the system and the mob. At times it was nearly impossible to determine who was worse, the mob or the district attorney. Because Grisham has first hand knowledge of the legal system he can really create a convincing tale. I put the coffee on and was up late to finish this book. A great Read!
When eleven-year-old Mark Sway takes his younger brother into the woods to smoke cigarettes, he never expected that the trip would change his life. But when Jerome Clifford tries to commit suicide in the remote area, he drags Mark into the world of the Mafia and secrets. Armed with the knowledge of where the body of a murdered U.S. Senator is, Mark’s entire world is turned upside down.
When it becomes clear to the authorities that Mark knows more than he’s telling, everybody from the U.S. Attorney to the FBI gets involved. Scared out of his mind, Mark hires a lawyer named Reggie Love in the hopes that she can help him. What follows is a race against the clock as the authorities try desperately to find out where the senator is buried, the Mafia tries to kill Mark and his family for knowing too much, and Mark and Reggie make a defense plan to try and survive the whole mess. Mark needs to tell them where the body is, but he is afraid for his life. Follow his story as he tries to unravel the mess he’s made and survive the process.
This was my first legal thriller. I was recommended this book as the first one of Grisham’s to read, and I was not disappointed. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the legal parts of this book as well as the characters. I’ve seen Grisham’s name everywhere and was leery to try it, but it turned out to be a great book. Reggie and Mark make a great team, and the story is engaging.
If you enjoy thrillers, you might like this book. With an engaging plot, amazing characters, and a thrilling conclusion, this is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Mark is a kid who is mature for his age, and Reggie is a no-nonsense lawyer who represents kids. The side characters range from scary to hilarious to just plain jerks, and I didn’t want to stop reading. A great introduction to legal thrillers.
I love all John Grisham’s works. His books are so original.
Grisham has a talent for creating an entertaining, believable story while at the same time presenting a moral challenge for consideration.
It set up the problem well and the combination of emerging convincing detail both of story and characters held my all too difficult to hold attention. Later Grisham books were not so good but the early ones were excellent
Typical early Grisham, so good it was made into a move. Reggie Love is the lawyer, helping a young boy with what he saw that threatens his and his friend’s life. The majority of his books I have kept, and after a few years, reread – This is one.
Really enjoyed reading it just as much as all the other books by John Grisham . Masterful story teller
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Grisham at his best! Wonderful characters, especially the young boy and his female attorney. A page-turner.
I read this book several years ago and still remember what happens at the end. Great book!
This was my first John Grisham book. I was instantly hooked and have read everything he has written since.
Excellent read. Patterson’s style makes for easy reading and hard to put down.
Great read. Loved it all the way through. Just as good or better then the movie.
Excellent! Holds your attention!
Love all his books.
OMG OMG. READ IN 1 SETTING. SHOULD BE A 6 STAR BOOK. Such a serious book but funny too.
Great classic! I can read again and again. Give me more Grisham!
One of Grisham’s best!
Anything by Harlan Coban is always a good bet!
This book was riveting. Could not put it down.