The author is on the Board of Directors of the Innocence Project in New York and is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Innocence Project at the U. of Miss. A well-known attorney and best-selling novelist, the conviction and scheduled execution of an innocent man fall within his purview in these various activities. It is too bad, however, that the resulting novel is not up to his usual standard.
The arrest, jailing and eventual execution of a young innocent Texan sets the stage for a long, dry story, filled with stereotypes: the less-than-ethical police detective, the corrupt DA and his lover, the judge, and the real murderer, among others, including the defense attorney. Unfortunately they do not add up to an accomplished novel. Nor do the long harangues and long-winded diatribes, which obviously belong more in a legal brief than a novel.
All this is not to take away from Mr. Grisham’s ability to tell a tale and write it well. But, unfortunately, over-all, at least to this reader, he should have relied more on his ability as a novelist, than as an advocate for a cause.
Great review, and totally agree. It’s as if Michael Moore decided to write a novel and this is what he came up with…