John Grisham

Grisham has done it again, written a terrific thriller that will make an excellent movie. The Confession may bring you to tears, as it did me, but I guarantee it will make you fighting mad. I will not give away the story here, of course.

Grisham writes in his “Author’s Note” that he loathes doing research, but he has depended on a few people for their expertise in certain areas. He advises us to save paper and not write to him about his errors. He anticipates they are insignificant. And they are, if they are there. The only point I wondered about was the timing of rigor mortis. It seemed to be complete a bit early. However, it’s quite possible I miscalculated the time. Nevertheless, it didn’t make a bit of difference to my being absolutely intrigued by the story.

John Grisham has been accused of not writing well. He may be the first to say so, too. I once read some teacher he had (probably one of those traditional high school English teachers; now remember, I was one of those) told him he’d never amount to anything. I don’t know if that is true or not true, but if it had to do with his writing in school, she must have meant he did not write in a literary style. If so, she was right. He doesn’t write that way, hardly ever offers a figure of speech. You don’t read a paragraph of his and say, “What gorgeous prose.” But he gets my vote for being one of the very best storytellers in the English language. I read a scene and say, “What great plotting!” If the author makes me cry, he has succeeded in a big way. The Confession kept me reading till almost 3:00 this morning, and I still didn’t want to go to bed even then. Do I need to add, I recommend this book? I certainly do recommend it, and I trust, if the facts are accurate, the state (in the Union) portrayed will amend its ways.

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