The Reckoning

A Novel

By: John Grisham

Narrated by: Michael Beck

Length: 17 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Number-one best-selling author John Grisham's The Reckoning is his most powerful, surprising, and suspenseful thriller yet.

"A murder mystery, a courtroom drama, a family saga…The Reckoning is Grisham's argument that he's not just a boilerplate thriller writer. Most jurors will think the counselor has made his case." (USA Today)

October 1946, Clanton, Mississippi

Pete Banning was Clanton, Mississippi's favorite son - a decorated World War II hero, the patriarch of a prominent family, a farmer, father, neighbor, and a faithful member of the Methodist church. Then one cool October morning he rose early, drove into town, walked into the church, and calmly shot and killed his pastor and friend, the Reverend Dexter Bell. As if the murder weren’t shocking enough, it was even more baffling that Pete's only statement about it - to the sheriff, to his lawyers, to the judge, to the jury, and to his family - was: "I have nothing to say." He was not afraid of death and was willing to take his motive to the grave.

In a major novel unlike anything he has written before, John Grisham takes us on an incredible journey, from the Jim Crow South to the jungles of the Philippines during World War II; from an insane asylum filled with secrets to the Clanton courtroom where Pete's defense attorney tries desperately to save him.

Reminiscent of the finest tradition of Southern Gothic storytelling, The Reckoning would not be complete without Grisham's signature layers of legal suspense, and he delivers every minute.

©2018 John Grisham (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“In this saga of love and war, John Grisham has given us a sprawling and engrossing story about a Southern family, a global conflict, and the kinds of secrets that can shape all of us. From the courtrooms and jails of rural Mississippi to the war-torn Pacific, Grisham spins a tale that is at once entertaining and illuminating.” (Jon Meacham, New York Times best-selling author of The Soul of America)

“John Grisham is not only the master of suspense but also an acute observer of the human condition. And these remarkable skills converge in The Reckoning - an original, gripping, penetrating novel that may be his greatest work yet.” (David Grann, New York Times best-selling author of Killers of the Flower Moon)

“John Grisham is the master of legal fiction, and his latest starts with a literal bang - and then travels backward through the horrors of war to explore what makes a hero, what makes a villain, and how thin the line between the two might be.” (Jodi Picoult, number-one New York Times best-selling author of A Spark of Light and Small Great Things)

“The quest for justice is only the beginning in this Southern-family saga.... Grisham does so much more this time around.” (Associated Press)

WAy to long.

I generally love John Grisham’s books but this one was just to long for me

Nice to see John Grisham Getting back to his roots

Some of the latest books have been off target, this one gets back to the roots and digs deep into character development with a story line right out of WWII and its effects on the heartland of this country

Another Grisham Masterpiece...

There probably isn’t a Grisham book that I haven’t read/listened to.
The Reckoning and especially the narration by Michael Beck grabbed me from the beginning. Mr. Grisham’s masterful storytelling is something to be studied and admired.
This is true Grisham suspense! So much so that I paused my listening to actually try to sort out the ending - and true to form the ending was a complete surprise. I loved everything about this book. The narration by Mr. Beck was spot on - capturing the dialect without trying to hard. The Reckoning belongs in the Grisham Masterpiece category. I absolutely recommend this book.

Great read for Grisham fans, mystery fans and even for World War II fans. Twists and surprises.

Unexpected ending

Love this book just when you think you are st the end and you know what “happened “ there is a “second” part that tells you the real story.

excellent story

enjoyed it so very much - family secrets held till the very last and very surprising

Great book

loved this book, great story line and suspenseful. wish the author would have carried the story line a little longer though.

An OK read.

With a little racist undertone, this book was a bit of a letdown. Yes, there is a small twist at the end, but with all the build up that had happened throughout the book, you are left with a feeling for more.

Sad book, sad story!

As a reader, you wait for the entire book to finally give you some comfort and light... never got it! Instead, the story ends leaving a bad taste in your mouth.

Great Grisham Book, Disappointing Ending

John Grisham writes a masterful story and his latest book, The Reckoning, is no exception. The ending, however, is deeply disappointing. While very “real,” it is terribly sad and, I would submit, unnecessarily so.