The widow by John Grisham

Lawyer Simon Latch is a small-time lawyer in a small USA town who struggles to hold his life together. Gambling debts and a marriage that is on the rocks are consuming him and his work life is far from satisfying. When an elderly widow enters his office to redraft her will because she believes her previous will has issues, Simon becomes embroiled in a situation where the opportunity to consider her ‘hidden wealth’ puts him into territory where his own greed creates problems. The widow could be the answer to his wealth problems but there is something unsettling about her secrecy about her investments. Simon’s own secrecy puts him into danger when the woman dies in unusual circumstances and Simon finds himself in legal hot water.  Is he guilty of a crime or has he been falsely accused? 

John Grisham is the master of the legal crime drama genre, and this story will appeal to readers of his other books in this genre. There is a central character who you want to like but struggle to trust, and a victim who may be more than a sweet old lady trying to keep her money from scheming hands. The legal scenario is engaging with its courtroom drama and legal personalities, and the mystery continues almost to the last chapter. Readers aged 16 - adult will enjoy the ‘did he or didn’t he’ mystery to the very end. Grisham’s books make for great holiday reading and are intriguing without being too difficult to understand. Note: The USA legal system may not entirely match our own and the presence of FBI investigations crossing over police jurisdictions may not be easy for younger readers to comprehend… but blissful legal ignorance will not stop readers from enjoying the twists and turns of this drama.

Themes: Legal mystery, Murder, Guilt and innocence, Greed, Wills, Lawyers.

Carolyn Hull