![The Guardians: A Novel by [Grisham, John]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51U2hIUQgqL._SY346_.jpg)
Reading this novel reminded me of returning to Indiana University one year and being picked up for speeding in the middle of the state by a trooper who I never saw until he was on my butt. I was instructed to follow him to a local small town where the "judge" held court in the back of his furniture store. He gave me the choice of a heavy fine or jail time. This was in 1974 and $350.00 was a lot of money for a college kid. I had no desire to learn about their terms of incarceration.
John Grisham has picked a mythical small town in northern Florida to tell us a horrifying tale of a man falsely accused, arrested, and sentenced to death. These small towns exist throughout the United States and are often controlled by a local politician or a wealthy family. Woe be to those who cross these powerful people. I still remember my parents cautioning me from straying off the interstates and stopping in small towns in the 'Deep South'.
The author has written a well-researched novel concerning a small town resident conveniently arrested as a cover to what was happening locally. Some readers may be somewhat 'put off' by the voluminous detail involved in trying to free someone illegally convicted, but I love learning new things when reading. Add in the sword constantly hanging over the falsely convicted prisoner and the fact that there are literally thousands of innocent prisoners currently serving prison terms, and you can't help putting yourself in their places.
This novel is not a "beach read' and requires the reader to pay attention and do some critical thinking. Mr. Grisham describes a badly flawed system that can cause the victim to make the ultimate sacrifice. Cleanly and clearly written, the author provides a thought provoking novel with a deeply disturbing story.
Review
“Terrific…affecting…Grisham has done it again. Such creative longevity is not that unusual in the suspense genre, but what is rare is Grisham’s feat of keeping up the pace of producing, on average, a novel a year without a notable diminishment of ingenuity or literary quality.”—Maureen Corrigan, The Washington Post
“Grisham again delivers a suspenseful thriller mixed with powerful themes such as false incarceration, the death penalty and how the legal system shows prejudice. The Guardian team of characters is first-rate.”– Associated Press
“With his début, 1989’s A Time to Kill, Grisham established himself as a skilled storyteller, a writer who can nimbly portray complex characters who overcome their fears and flaws to pursue justice. Thirty years later, his authorial prowess glows again in this riveting tale.”—Fredericksburg Free Lance Star
“[Grisham] has created a powerful no-nonsense protagonist that you cannot help rooting for in a story stocked with tension and flavor that will have you flipping the pages to a very satisfying ending.”—Florida Times-Union
“Grisham’s colorful prose is riveting, and the issue is a timely one that can be too easily overlooked…His fictional legal happenings convey a loud and clear ring of veracity.”–Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“The Guardians, the newest legal thriller from John Grisham, a true wizard of the form, is certainly not going to disappoint. Fans of the author are going to find it wholly satisfying.”–Anniston Star
“Grisham again delivers a suspenseful thriller mixed with powerful themes such as false incarceration, the death penalty and how the legal system shows prejudice. The Guardian team of characters is first-rate.”– Associated Press
“With his début, 1989’s A Time to Kill, Grisham established himself as a skilled storyteller, a writer who can nimbly portray complex characters who overcome their fears and flaws to pursue justice. Thirty years later, his authorial prowess glows again in this riveting tale.”—Fredericksburg Free Lance Star
“[Grisham] has created a powerful no-nonsense protagonist that you cannot help rooting for in a story stocked with tension and flavor that will have you flipping the pages to a very satisfying ending.”—Florida Times-Union
“Grisham’s colorful prose is riveting, and the issue is a timely one that can be too easily overlooked…His fictional legal happenings convey a loud and clear ring of veracity.”–Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“The Guardians, the newest legal thriller from John Grisham, a true wizard of the form, is certainly not going to disappoint. Fans of the author are going to find it wholly satisfying.”–Anniston Star
About the Author
JOHN GRISHAM is the author of thirty-three novels, one work of nonfiction, a collection of stories, and six novels for young readers.
