better than the average Grisham book
927728
Grisham writes in an easy to read style, but doesn't finish his stories well.  This book has those traits, but for the most part is fairly entertaining.  Michael Brock has a life transforming experience when he is nearly killed in a hostage situation.  He reassesses his greed, and turns into a bleeding heart liberal, fighting for the homeless people of Washington DC.  He chucks his six figure salary and his doctor wife for an austere life in Northeast DC, where crime is rampant, and drug addicts abound.
The subplot on Michael's marriage was a little too simplistic and shallow for my taste.  It was a little hard to believe that both parties found new love interests so quickly, with so little remorse.  The main plot also wrapped itself up into too neat of a bow as well.  I guess Grisham wanted a happy ending, but in real life, I doubt it would come out so well.
402366
Different than a typical Grisham book in my view but very enjoyable.  The main character is a complex, sometimes careless, sharp witted type who enjoys trumping authority.  The seemingly disjointed threads are all pulled together at the end.
2170910
I wonder why so many one liner reviews for this topnotch thriller opine (in a suspiciously similar juvenile language I may add) that this is not Grisham's best work. Well, may be. But this novel, quite like any other from him, is crispy, fast-paced and very very morally charged.
The setting is familiar: a hard-driving grunt lawyer from nowhere, who ever so unknowingly stumbles upon the case of his life, and gets all tangled up in a mess he couldn't have imagined. Several self-same characters line the plot: a rich-man's daughter as a love interest (who's also a model), the girlfriend's insufferably affluent and thus uptight parents, a tried and trusted friend/coworker who'll be right by our lawyer's side, and even an African-American culprit who fell prey to his circumstances (drugs and mafia, of course).
There's jetliners ("a kitchen, a bar and restroom in the rear; the latest avionics up front for the pilots") and high society, suspenseful chases and delectable sleuthing. But this is the ONLY novel I've read from Grisham which had me in a twist over identities. I never quite knew who the good guys, or the protagonists, or both, were. Without divulging any spoilers, I'll say it is something you'll be surprised with. Avarice has no friends.
Don't mind the other reviews. This is vintage classy Grisham, with his punchy writing style, and quite a refreshing break from semi-clunkers like The Bleachers or Skipping Christmas.
Highly recommended.
2576898
Really a great read. a real page turner, much better than Grisham's previous book.
2160426
I have read most of John Grisham's books, but this was different. The further I got into it the more interesting it became.
1435754
This book was well written. It wasn't a John Grisham legaleeze book, like he often writes. It takes you through a guy's journey getting used to a new country and seeing the sights. It was not my favorite Grisham book, but it's an easy read.
31919
The Confession by John Grisham, Doubleday, 2010, 432 pages. e-book format read and reviewed.
The Confession is a typical presentation by this author. It is replete with discussions of the law and this time the legalities of the appeal process for a condemned killer. It has an interesting twist in that a protestant minister finds it necessary to break the law in order to attempt to deliver a killer to another state to provide a statement that, in turn, should provide grounds for an appeal to stop the execution of an innocent condemned man. The story is thrilling and provides a steady stream of nail-biting suspense. I am a little surprised at the presence of a few areas of what seems to be needless repetition and/or of `uncondensed' material. I also am surprised by `recovery' of the killer in the latter part of the book. The killer had claimed to be suffering from a deadly brain malignancy and had been well-described as suffering from signs and symptoms of such a disease - even convincing a physician. Suddenly toward the end of the book, he claims to have been suffering from a far lesser malignancy and acts accordingly.  The change, although fitting nicely into the story line, is a little difficult to accept. To conclude, however, if one is willing to overlook these difficulties, The Confession is a real page-turner that provides the reader with a strong, but partially flawed, argument with respect to abandoning the death penalty.  John H. Manhold
121974
Great read but not my favorite Grisham novel.  Good character development and a little different than his usual storylines.  Definitely worth a read!
1270355
I bought the kindle version actually. I was hooked by the first second I started reading this book. It's not the best Grisham's book I've read, but one worth trying for. I recommend it.
3058729
I really enjoy reading both legal thrillers and courtroom dramas (the latter being more about the trial and the mystery of what the verdict will be rather than characters in peril from a mystery bad guy).  Most of them are about the attorneys but this one was written by a judge with the protagonist being a judge.

As the author is a senior federal district court judge who has tried a death penalty case, he can add a lot of realistic detail to the story.  The decision to try murder cases in federal court in states with no death penalty has also been in the news lately with the announcement that the government will try the Boston Marathon bombing suspect in federal court in order to seek the death penalty.

The story in this book is about a drive-by shooting of a gang member that also kills a bystander who is a white lady volunteering at a neighborhood clinic -- and related to a member of the police department.  The one suspect who is arrested makes a plea deal to give up the shooter, who is rousted out of bed and arrested while his home is searched.

The judge in the case is not the "hanging judge" of the title -- he is a political appointee who appears to e a workman-like judge who cares about giving the accused a fair trial.  There are flash-backs to an early American murder trial (I'm not clear whether it is real history or created for the book) where prejudice against the Irish defendants resulted in an unfair conviction and hanging.

I enjoyed following the case from the early days, through the trial itself and wondering whether the defendant was  innocent or guilty and whether he would be convicted and given the death penalty or acquitted.

This book doesn't have the "flashiness" of some of the legal thrillers (it's definitely cut from a different cloth that your typical Grisham thriller) but is a solid and interesting book that I enjoyed reading.  I hope the author will write another book.
1355169
I didn't buy this book because it was different, I bought it because it is John Grisham.  Typical of Grisham books, I couldn't put it down and had to read it in one sitting.  As for the storyline, it was brilliant in my opinion.  It is a diversion from typical Grisham books, but a refreshing change just the same.  I would recommend this book to anyone, not just fans of the Grisham.
453900
I really liked this book, as I do all Grisham novels.  If you are a fan, as I am, buy it.  You will not be disappointed. The characters are interesting and well constructed.  The plot moves along in a certain-to-hold-you fashion.  Although fiction, Grisham is not gentle with the coal industry and it has the ring of pretty solid background research.  The only thing that prevented me giving 5 stars was the ending, which did not wrap a lot of the issues up and gave me the impression that there may be a follow up book.  I know Grisham has not written an adult series in the past, but I wonder - - -
2601339
*The Street Lawyer by John Grisham has a promising setting and characters but never meets the expectations set in the beginning of the book.  The beginning of the book includes an exciting hostage situation that brings about changes for the main character.  This sets up the book but becomes the most exciting scene in the story because of the relatively dull plot. *Grisham never was able to develop the plot's quality equal to that of the characters.  Grisham continued throughout the story to develop characters that were real and entertaining.  The characters were interesting and not shallow.  Each one had their distinct personality that was consistent throughout the novel.  Michael Brock, the main character, was particularly entertaining because of his slightly sarcastic sense of humor and the way that he dealt with the situations brought to him by the plot.  The characters were one of the better points of the book. *It seemed as though Grisham was already thinking about making the book into a movie when he was thinking of a few of the characters; for example, Mordecai Green seems to be a natural James Earl Jones.  He is a large and respected man who can get attention by the sound of his voice.  His appearance and personality are key to the book. *The setting also contributed to the positive expectations that Grisham failed to meet because of the plot.  Grisham chose the setting as an excellent backdrop for a good David and Goliath tale.  Michael Brock, the main character, has a revelation and decides to quit his job at one of the biggest national firms in Washington D.C.; the novel's setting.  He begins to work for the homeless in the nation's capital where it is a major problem and a hot issue.  He takes on his former employer, who represents the other scale of the social class system, in a city where politics and publicity are key and do come into play. *The developed characters, Grisham's entertaining voice and style of writing, and the perfect setting of the book helped make a book that appeals ! to the reader, somewhat, in entertainment value, but more to the reader's emotions toward the homeless.  The Street Lawyer is a great book to motivate one to start in homeless volunteering.  The book showed a little bit about what goes on in the minds of the homeless and how to help them.  It shows how the homeless have no real bounds of where they stay.  They just pick up their few belongings and leave.  The book shows where the homeless tend to live.  Grisham had his homeless characters sleeping in cars, volunteer and government projects, or anywhere to shield them from most of the elements.  The book is more effective as motivation for volunteering than of an entertaining story.
3133098
I really enjoyed this book, but it wasn't the normal plot of Grisham.  An eye opener, for me, at least.  If given the chance, it will not disappoint.
1942194
This was excellent.  The murder was interesting and the discovery during the trial was intriguing.  For a lawyer who never practiced before the court except once for my husband, the civil innovator's discomfort in a criminal court was interesting and kept me hoping for no huge mistakes.  I cod understand her concern as to whether or not the client was guilty or not though I knew it should not be asked but the attorney needs to know what might come up.  It also shows how little things can be missed as well as the fact that either side could be blindsided by something held behind it suddenly discovered.  One of the attorneys comes under suspicion in the murder of her husband.  With the main attorney in a struggle with her husband's emotional reaction to being sterile and who is rejecting her as not providing him emotional support during this trial is a pretty difficult situation.  I might have written him off as he was taking his insecurities and blaming her.  Maybe his insecurities came from being a brother.  The view of many men, and perhaps especially black men of being unfaithful annoyed me but I had a bit of experience there, too.  I hope I find' t tell you too much.  It was a book I think I could read again.  I was looking so much toward the next line and page that I hurried through it.  Got a great price through Amazon Kindle.
1817655
It is a dramatic departure from Grisham's usual legal thriller, but I was entertained. The story about a poor Southern family meanders a bit from time to time, which Grisham seems to do evertime he is going into unfamiliar territory. Here that is quaint and entertaining.
There isn't a terrific plot here, just a series of events regarding weather disasters, migrant workers, and an assignation. It is all told from the view point of a little boy who strikes me as being a bit too articulate and thoghtful to be 7 years old, but I chalk that up to dramatic necessity. He is the narrator, after all.
It's a fun story and worth reading. I'd wait for the paperback if I had to do it all over again, though.
1875934
Adam Mitzner's Losing Faith rivals the best of John Grisham.  As a lawyer, I have high expectations for a legal thriller, and this one exceeded them on all accounts.  The action gets underway quickly, when super-lawyer Aaron Littmann is blackmailed into representing Nikolai Garkov, a high-profile Russian mobster with terrorist ties.  Littmann, chairman of one of New York City's most prestigious law firms and a seemingly devoted husband and father, has one vulnerability: he's had an affair with Faith Nichols, the federal judge assigned to Garkov's case.  And Littmann quickly learns that Garkov will expose the affair, along with the fact that he unethically tried a previous case before Faith while they were still lovers, unless Littman pressures Faith to acquit Garkov.

Unlike many thriller writers, who quickly lose their way after setting such a tantalizing hook, Mitzner develops the plot brilliantly. The blackmail scheme morphs into something far more serious, exposing Littmann to the possibility of life in prison unless he can somehow clear his name.  Mitzner manages to increase the suspense without relying on far-fetched plot turns or thinly-developed characters, all the while maintaining an admirable degree of realism and precision in his treatment of legal issues.  The novel culminates in a nail-biting trial, in which Littman seeks to overcome damning evidence pointing toward his guilt, and in doing so, ignores the advice to negotiate a plea deal that he's provided to many of his supposedly innocent clients in similar circumstances.

If you are fan of legal thrillers, Adam Mitzner is a writer who deserves a spot on your bookshelf next to Grisham and Lashner. Losing Faith has my highest recommendation.