5 stars out of 5
As a long-time Grisham fan, the moment I got my hands on this book I bookmarked the one I'd almost finished reading, set aside the one lined up to be read next and got down to business. My only disappointment? That real-life business (like eating and sleeping) prevented me from polishing it off in one sitting; it was engrossing from the first page to the last.
The story outlines the efforts of nonprofit Guardian Ministries, a small, close-knit group of like-minded individuals whose mission is to move legal mountains to free wrongly convicted prison inmates. Narrated by firm investigator, attorney and Episcopal priest Cullen Post, the book primarily details the investigative and legal progress as related to two of the firm's six clients - both of whom have been serving time for years for crimes they did not commit. The primary focus is on Quincy Miller, a black man who was sent to prison for life for murdering a young lawyer in a small north Florida town.
Fast-forward 22 years, when Cullen meets with the man and, after reviewing the scant evidence that suggests Quincy was framed, decides to take on the case. Getting to the truth, though, requires hundreds of interviews, exhausting research and travel wherever the evidence leads - not easily accomplished by a firm that operates on a shoestring budget. But the more they investigate, the more convinced of Quincy's innocence they become and the more determined Cullen is to prove it (and maybe, although it's not the prime directive, unearth the real killer in the process).
Time-consuming? Obviously. Dangerous? Not so much, except when it is; not everyone is eager to set the record straight. Some, in fact, will go to any lengths to keep long-buried secrets as dead as the lawyer they murdered all those years ago - and now they've got Cullen in their sights. Will he get out alive? And if he does, will he get his client out of jail? Read it and find out - you'll be glad you did.
The Guardians by John Grisham (Doubleday, October 2019); 371 pp.
4 stars out of 5
This is the third book I've read in the author's series featuring Detective Inspector Helen Grace. Like the others, it's fast-paced and almost riveting - I'd have been quite content if I could have read the whole thing in one sitting. But truth is, I didn't actually "like" it much. Here's why: The only setting I hate more in books and motion pictures than an Afghanistan war zone is in a prison. And guess where most of the action takes place?
But that's a personal preference that shouldn't hamper other readers' enjoyment - especially long-time fans of the series - and when it's otherwise a very good book. The real focus is a question: How is it that the fiesty Helen is locked away? Well, it appears she's been disGraced - I'm assuming the details of her situation were laid out in a book I didn't read. She's now in jail awaiting trial for a murder she didn't commit; she was framed by her nephew Robert Stonehill (or so she claims). Her old department continues to run with someone else at the helm; some of her former colleagues think she's guilty and others - like her fiercely loyal friend Charlie - are working hard to gather evidence that proves Helen's innocence.
None of them, though, can protect her from what she's dealing with now. Leah, a woman who occupied the cell next to Helen's, has been murdered in the night. The word on the block is that she was a snitch - clearly grounds for reprisal in the eyes of other innates. And a gruesome murder it was: Her eyes, mouth and other body parts were sewn shut and her ears stuffed with an unidentified substance - yet there were few signs of a struggle. The prison security chief is convinced that Helen somehow did the deed, so Helen tries to put her investigative skills to work on finding the real killer. In the process, she takes a real beating that lands her in the infirmary. Another murder happens in similar fashion, leading Helen to believe it may be the work of a prison employee rather than an inmate.
On the outside, still another force is working against Helen - Emilia, the reporter who broke Helen's pre-jail story. The woman left her old newspaper job, hoping to cash in on her scoop - and when she learned of the first murder, she became more determined than ever to keep dogging Helen and turn up more dirt to boost her own career.
While all this is happening, Charlie keeps trying to nail Stonehill, much to the dismay of her superiors, meaning she's jeopardizing her own career. Inside the prison, though, all hell is breaking loose, with Helen squarely in the middle of the action. Will Charlie be able to find Stonehill and prove Helen's innocence in time to save her friend? It's a race to the finish, taking readers on a wild ride.
As a final note, I'll say that this book certainly can be read as a standalone, although knowing what happened previously would have helped me get more out of the experience (I skipped one or two more recent books in the series including the one immediately preceding this one). That said, it's another excellent addition to the series and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Hide and Seek by M.J. Arlidge (Berkley, October 2017); 409 pp.
4 1/2 stars out of 5
John Jordan, the main character in this series, became a favorite "hero" of mine after reading two of the books (this is the 6th). This one somehow got lost in my pile of to-read books, but once I discovered the error of my [forgetful] ways, I hustled to correct it.
And after just a few chapters, I still loved the character, but the story not quite so much. I'm not sure why, exactly, except some of the subject matter - prison sodomy (Jordan is the chaplain at the Potter Correctional Institution in South Florida), gruesome lynchings and a mother on her deathbed - just isn't that appealing to me. That said, it was hard to put down.
Actually, there are several story lines going on at the same time in this one, including the impending death of Jordan's mother (to whom he isn't terribly close, but it's still his mother, for goodness sake). At the same time, someone has been sexually abusing inmates, but a new prison wardon - intent on replacing Jordan and is insisting that he stick to his chaplain's duties - has put the kibosh on nvestigating. Meanwhile, a prisoner escapes and can't be found, a couple of mutilated bodies thought to be the victims of lynching turn up, and Jordan's Sheriff father is desperately trying to win a primary election (whew!)
That's a lot to wrap your head around in one book, but believe it or not, it all comes together - in just 211 pages, no less. Admittedly, it's a little hard to keep all the players straight, but in the end, the whole thing makes sense (even a serious romantic issue gets resolved, at least for the time being). I'll also say that while this book can stand alone, I think I got more out of it because I've read at least a couple that preceded it.
I'm also a bit curious about this: According to Lister's website (http://www.michaellister.com), he's written eight books in the John Jordan series. I've found the first six, but search as I might, I haven't been able to unearth Nos. 7 or 8. If anyone out there has a clue where I might find them, please let me know!
Rivers to Blood: A John Jordan Mystery Book 6 by Michael Lister (Pulpwood Press, January 2014); 211 pp.
3 stars out of 5
Based on the description and rave reviews, I picked this book with some degree of excitement when it was offered free through Kindle Unlimited. The term "psychological thriller" always gets my attention (my undergrad degree is in psychology, and while I didn't pursue that as a profession, human behavior remains a huge interest). Beyond that, it's based in my birth state of Indiana, where the author spent 20 years as a counselor in the Department of Corrections. Within the first couple of paragraphs, mention of sycamore trees and U.S. Route 40 (the former found all around me as a kid and the latter less than 30 miles from home), had me hooked.
Unfortunately, the hook never went any deeper. At least twice, I told myself to give it up, something I absolutely hate to do. Then, I convinced myself that if I could make it past the halfway point, I'd be able to stick with it. That I did - but all in all it wasn't a very pleasant experience.
On Nov. 23, 2000, 100 inmates captured 12 prison guards in the laundry dorm of the Indiana Penal Farm, and dorm counselor Tom Hemmings has been tapped to handle "negotiations" and get the situation under control before the worst happens. But he's not just dealing with the inmates' protest over lousy services; they're also members of rival gangs, and the guards are in labor unions that are at loggerheads as well.
Truth is, that bodes well for a terrific story, so just why it failed to hold my interest is hard to pin down. The writing is impeccable - it reads more like prose than a typical thriller novel (which I admit for me was more of a curse than a blessing). The many characters got a bit confusing, and somehow I just couldn't envision a prison counselor - much less guards and least of all prisoners - speaking in such a profound, esoteric manner that it was tough to wade through and didn't sound realistic coming from most of the characters. Until near the end, the story jumped around from place to place, usually forcing me to back up a few pages to determine whether the situation was present or past. And finally, although this alone had little bearing on my like or dislike, this is perhaps one of the most thoroughly depressing books I've read in a while.
All that said, at the time of this writing, 28 of the reviewers at Amazon.com had given it 5 or 4 stars. All I can say, then, is it simply wasn't my cup of tea. If it sounds like it's yours, I urge you to read what others have to say before you decide.
The Siege: A Psychological Thriller by James Hanna (Sand Hill Review Press; 1st Ed., February 2014); 276 pp.
As a long-time Grisham fan, the moment I got my hands on this book I bookmarked the one I'd almost finished reading, set aside the one lined up to be read next and got down to business. My only disappointment? That real-life business (like eating and sleeping) prevented me from polishing it off in one sitting; it was engrossing from the first page to the last.
