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The Reckoning

A Novel

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About this listen

 #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “An original, gripping, penetrating novel . . . Grisham is not only the master of suspense but also an acute observer of the human condition.”—David Grann, author of Killers of the Flower Moon and The Wager

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, and committed a shocking crime. 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 The Reckoning, 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 Southern Gothic storytelling and layered with Grisham’s signature legal suspense, The Reckoning delivers on every page. Crime Crime Thrillers Legal Suspense Thriller Thriller & Suspense Law Fiction Murder Exciting Mystery Mississippi War

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What the critics say

“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

“Cleverly subversive . . . Grisham continues the rich literary tradition of Southern authors confronting a culture of white supremacy.”—The Washington Post

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

“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, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon and The Wager

“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, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Small Great Things and By Any Other Name

“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, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Soul of America

“When a master of storytelling and suspense takes on one of the most wrenching stories in history, the result is a book that will break your heart, set your blood pumping and your mind racing, and leave you gasping for breath by the final page. I’m still trying to recover from The Reckoning.”—Candice Millard, New York Times bestselling author of The River of Doubt and Destiny of the Republic
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A fantastic story, masterfully told - another great novel by John Grisham, didn't want it to end

Another Masterpiece

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The narrator's storytelling was excellent - really engaging. The book itself started strong but got weaker and weaker as it progressed. I was hooked for roughly the first third to half of the story but it droned on too long to the point where I struggled to finish it.

Excellent narration, mediocre story

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It was an amazing story! I appreciated listening to it through the Audible App, because I tend to skip over things when I read a story. The App let me get every detail!

LOVED THIS STORY!!!

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This was not what I was expecting at all but was well done. The mystery was not who did it at all. but instead why. the novel spends chapters upon chapters in the middle of the novel in the form of a flashback that provides context in a torturous adventure side story in the Phillipeans during one of the most Brutal Campaigns of WW2. It was riviting and well written and overall a welcome change from the typical legal drama. I dont know that I will ever listen to it again. But it was well worth the once through.

A different take on a legal murder mystery

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As an avid John Grisham reader for years, I was actually quite disappointed with this book. The first 1/3 was great, like every John Grisham book is. But the middle third was very, meh... Even the last few chapters were just okish. Don't know that I would actually recommend this book to anyone.

Slight let down

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