"The Last Juror" by John Grisham - Book Review

Willie Traynor is a bit lost. He's dropped out of college and his grandmother is somewhat worried that he will not come to any good. That is, until he gets hired by The Ford County Times, a small local newspaper in a place far away from the hustle and bustle Willie is used to. It takes a while for him to settle in and for the people of Ford County to accept him. It's a different lifestyle, at a different pace. But when the newspaper goes bankrupt, Willie decides to take over, to the surprise and dismay of many.The future of the paper looks uncertain, until a young mother becomes the victim of a horrible crime. The suspect is a member of the Padgitt family - a family of known criminals who are highly skilled at corruption and various means of manipulation. Willie, being young and perhaps a bit naive, decides to report the details, as many as he can find out. Overnight, the newspaper begins to prosper.It is a tough trial, of a shocking case. And it comes to a dramatic end when Danny Padgitt, the defendant, threatens the jurors with revenge if they convict him. He gets sentenced to life in prison, but in that day and age, "life" didn't mean what the jurors thought it did. Nine years later Danny gets himself paroled and returns to Ford County. Soon after, the trouble begins..."The Last Juror" is the story of a young reporter who takes on a struggling local newspaper and transforms it. It is also the story of a crime and the criminal justice system. More than that, it is a story about friendship and it touches on the issues of a time of change in American history.This is an intelligent novel. Whilst the views of the author are evident throughout the book, the reader is allowed to make up their own minds. I found myself taken on a highly interesting journey and soon began to care for the unique and courageous characters introduced to me.Although the story is a blend of themes - the court case, the crime, the system and the important topic of racial equality, I never found myself confused. Everything worked together and everything made sense. The story never lost its pace and held my attention to the end.There were smiles and a few tears which, to me, means that I have experienced a satisfying read. The tone of voice throughout was warm and pleasant.I would recommend this book to anyone apart from, perhaps, the very young. There are some details of a horrid crime and though they are not presented in a shocking way, this makes the book unsuitable for some.If this is your first John Grisham novel, you will soon find out why his books are so popular. He's a master of courtroom scenes and a great storyteller. If you are already familiar with his work, you won't be disappointed. This is one of his best.John Grisham was born in 1955, and is a retired attorney. As an author, he is best known for his works of modern legal drama."The Last Juror" was first published in 2004 by Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc. The ISBN is 0-09-945715-6. dr seuss book collection