The Rooster Bar

By: John Grisham

Narrated by: Ari Fliakos

Number one New York Times best-selling author John Grisham's newest legal thriller takes you inside a law firm that's on shaky ground.

Mark, Todd, and Zola came to law school to change the world, to make it a better place. But now, as third-year students, these close friends realize they have been duped. They all borrowed heavily to attend a third-tier, for-profit law school so mediocre that its graduates rarely pass the bar exam, let alone get good jobs. And when they learn that their school is one of a chain owned by a shady New York hedge-fund operator who also happens to own a bank specializing in student loans, the three know they have been caught up in The Great Law School Scam.

But maybe there's a way out. Maybe there's a way to escape their crushing debt, expose the bank and the scam, and make a few bucks in the process. But to do so, they would first have to quit school. And leaving law school a few short months before graduation would be completely crazy, right? Well, yes and no...

Pull up a stool, grab a cold one, and get ready to spend some time at The Rooster Bar.

©2017 John Grisham (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"With quiet certitude, narrator Ari Fliakos captures the mounting despair of three contemporary law students... Fliakos begins the story at a sedate pace but soon picks up speed to match the plot. He hits his stride as Mark, Todd, and Zola realize the bind they're in - and who might be to blame." (AudioFile)

When authors get political

Rooster pulls you in pretty early with the woes of law students stuck in a sub-par law school with a mountain of debt and possibilities of a decent job between slim and none. So far so good. An interesting dilemma and Grisham gets about as much out of that dilemma as is probably possible. But then it comes and not all that subtly; he introduces his view of illegal aliens and their wretched lives once they are discovered and are ushered back to their own countries. I really do not need to be lectured about one of the current hot topics in politics today when I am trying to escape same by reading/hearing a fiction novel. There are ample sad stories on both sides of this subject Mr. Grisham and your opinion of the subject is of no interest to me. You are not unlike the spoiled millionaire jocks in the NFL wanting me to pay big bucks to see them play with a dose of insulting protest on the side. Trust me Mr. Grisham, no one really cares what your political leanings are. Authors, producers, jocks and entertainers of every stripe would be well served to climb off their high horses and realize that most of America really does't care what your opinion is. If you must do it consider writing a book of political editorials but be forewarned, it won't sell nearly as well.
Seems like there might be some post success guilt miring down the creative process here.

another great one John

I couldn't stop reading, finished the first day. Not able to figure it early. exciting

Real Life Issues

The storyline was a bit slow in the beginning but became a cliffhanger as the story progressed. I was pleased with the ending.

Entertaining

John Grisham never lets me down.
when I want a good story to keep me engaged while sitting in LA traffic, I know I can rely on a Grisham novel. Rooster Bar is no exception.

Legal thriller

You can't read this without thoughts of how it could really happen. Law Schools claiming false hope that graduates would get great high paying jobs after graduation. Student loans ripping off students, charging large interest rates that just keep growing. It all seemed very plausible. John Grisham never fails to make his stories seem very real.

Good one

Finally a food work by Grisham after several weaker ones. Page turner, really thrilling and interesting to read.

A treat

I truly enjoyed it. It is worth a read and will take you on a wonderful journey.

Boring

44 chapters to say what I could of said in 3 cxxxxx ccxxx. Cccccc cxxxxc

Not his best

The protagonists are So despicable it’s hard to root for anyone. As far as suspense goes it was not the author’s normal page turner either. Overall a mediocre attempt.

Meh

It’s not as good as Grisham books usually are. I had a hard time hanging on.