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