Product Description

The latest legal thriller from international number one bestselling author John Grisham

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #376 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-29
• Released on: 2008-01-29
• Binding: Hardcover
• 368 pages

Amazon.co.uk
John Grisham is now an institution -- a writer whose bestselling status is assured, So assured, in fact, that expectations for each new book are as high as can be imagined. Does The Appeal make the grade? And will it appeal to Grisham admirers -- or disappoint them?

The stakes in the novel's plot are high: corporate crime on the largest scale. The duo of lawyers at the centre of the narrative are Mary and Wes Grace, who succeed in a multimillion dollar case against a chemical company, who have polluted a town with dumped toxic waste. A slew of agonising deaths have followed this, but lawyers for the chemical company appeal, and a variety of legal shenanigans are employed -- and it is certainly not clear which way the scales of justice will be finally balanced.

As ever with Grisham, the mechanics of plotting are key, and the characterisation is functional rather than detailed. But it is (as always) more than capable of keeping the reader totally engaged. Given John Grisham's much-publicised conversion to born-again Christianity, it's intriguing to note here the implicit criticism of the moral majority's religious values, but that is hardly central to the enterprise. What counts is the storytelling, and while the writing is as straightforward and uncomplicated as ever, few readers will put down The Appeal once they have allowed it to exert its grip on upon them. --Barry Forshaw

Synopsis
In a crowded courtroom in Mississippi, a jury returns a shocking verdict against a chemical company accused of dumping toxic waste into a small town's water supply, causing the worst 'cancer cluster' in history. The company appeals to the Mississippi Supreme Court, whose nine justices will one day either approve the verdict or reverse it. Who are the nine? How will they vote? Can one be replaced before the case is ultimately decided? The chemical company is owned by a Wall Street predator named Carl Trudeau, and Mr. Trudeau is convinced the Court is not friendly enough. With judicial elections looming, he decides to try to purchase himself a seat on the Court. The cost is a few million dollars, a drop in the bucket for a billionaire like Mr. Trudeau. Through an intricate web of conspiracy and deceit, his political operatives recruit a young, unsuspecting candidate. They finance him, manipulate him, market him, and mould him into a potential Supreme Court justice; their Supreme Court justice.

"The Appeal" is a powerful, timely, and shocking story of political and legal intrigue, a story that will leave readers unable to think about the electoral process or judicial system in quite the same way ever again.

From the Inside Flap
In a crowded courtroom in Mississippi, a jury returns a shocking verdict against a chemical company accused of dumping toxic waste into a small town's water supply, causing the worst "cancer cluster" in history. The company appeals to the Mississippi Supreme Court, whose nine justices will one day either approve the verdict or reverse it.

Who are the nine? How will they vote? Can one be replaced before the case is ultimately decided?

The chemical company is owned by a Wall Street predator named Carl Trudeau, and Mr. Trudeau is convinced the Court is not friendly enough. With judicial elections looming, he decides to try to purchase himself a seat on the Court. The cost is a few million dollars, a drop in the bucket for a billionaire like Mr. Trudeau. Through an intricate web of conspiracy and deceit, his political operatives recruit a young, unsuspecting candidate. They finance him, manipulate him, market him, and mould him into a potential Supreme Court justice.Their Supreme Court justice.

The Appeal is a powerful, timely, and shocking story of political and legal intrigue, a story that will leave readers unable to think about the electoral process or judicial system in quite the same way ever again.

Customer Reviews

The Appeal - Book Review

Mister Grisham is back where he feels most comfortable with The Appeal, in the courtroom suing the rear end off a multinational corporation. In this case, the naughty Krane Chemical Company who have been polluting the countryside for years with the equivalent of wholesale fly-tipping. People get sick, people die. Other people get annoyed. They would, wouldn't they? Step in the lawyers and off we go.

The boss of Krane, Carl Trudeau and his trophy wife, strike me as interesting characters, not to mention Abused Imelda, I am saying no more on that one, you will have to read the book to find out, but rather puzzlingly they rarely appear again, which is a shame as I wanted to know more about them than some of the others.

In parts this book comes across as something of a true life exposé when in fact it is Mister G's 20th published work of fiction. Perhaps that is the man's true genius; his creations always seem so lifelike, so believable.

I note that it has become something of a national sport to be deeply critical of John Grisham's books. You will not find me in that van. It is the easiest thing in the world to stand on the sidelines and throw sludge at others. Perhaps there are more than a few green eyes on parade when it comes to his staggering sales statistics and that other awful phrase, "units shifted". That's life I am afraid, a small penalty for being so hugely successful and I don't suppose he is unduly bothered.

The ending of the book particularly seems to have riled a few people, and perhaps it does come across as a trifle rushed, but may be, just may be, JG is leaving it fairly open ended with a view to Carl T and his weird cronies making a return visit, though somehow I doubt it.

Do I think The Appeal is one of John's best? No I don't, but neither is it one of his weakest, and not even Charles Dickens wrote his best stuff every time he sat down and scratched his head and sharpened his pencil. Enjoy it for what it is. I certainly did.

If you enjoy John Grisham's books you will definitely want to add this one to your collection.

Lost its sparkle along the way
I love Grisham stories but this was dull. I took it on holiday and it remained unread. I picked up a new Author Conrad Jones, Soft Target Novel, couldnt put it down.!!! I like exciting reading but this latest Grisham let me down a little. Still the master though.

Previous storyline revisited
Grisham revists 'The Rainmaker' and 'The Tort King' in exposing his distaste of US style class actions again.

This trip along familiar paths nicely interweaves an election with most of the accompanying financial shenaginans and under-hand dealing that US elections are (in)famous for. Also, thrown in for good measure, is how corporate bosses manipulate events to further bolster their own nests.

The underlying theme is not necessarily 'good' (the locals) triumphing over 'bad' (business) but revealing that the defendants are rarely the greedy party. It also tries to highlight that high-cost class actions actually work against the claimants in the wider sense.

One of the central characters suffers a freaky about-turn of fate towards the end that causes a massive soul-searching with an unusal twist.