Rating: 
Summary: MORE THAN A THRILLER...
Review: It's a relief to see Grisham going back to legal nailbiters instead of mundane novellas like Bleachers. Yet, his latest (somewhat annoyingly only available in hardcover!) is more than a thriller. It has a good dose of humor and some pithy social commentary on racism and its aftermath in 1970s Mississippi -- the town of Clayton where the novel is set clearly has larger woes to worry about that the rape + murder of our young protagonist. Yet, for this precise reason, The Last Juror is not a very tight novel. I could weed out page after page of racially inclined banter that lends very little to the overall plot. In fact the title "The Last Juror" -- which refers to the first black juror in the Ford County -- is a little misleading as she remains relatively cursory to the plot. You'll recall from an earlier Grisham called "The Juror" that the title referred to the juror in question, who was the lynchpin of the plot. Here though, I found myself skimming pages, skipping entire chapters etc and comfortably finishing the novel anyway without missing out on any pivotal fact. I wonder if this filler text was Grisham's way of pandering to the town that launched his career (he began as a Mississippi lawyer) or to make up for the very little space this novel would have otherwise occupied... All in all, it's a worthy read, and the writing is fluent and enjoyable as usual, but you've seen more gripping fiction from the ilk of Grisham.
Rating: 
Summary: best grisham book in sometime
Review: this book reminds me of Pat Conroys "The Prince of Tides". which I consider Conroy's best. Grisham's humor and wit are delightful. I may be a little prejudiced (born and reared in the south). I have known people like the characters in "The Last Juror",especially Miss Callie. Some white people were like that too. One being my mother, who is no longer with us. I have no doubt where she is, if there is truly a hereafter. One never went to my mothers house and left hungry. Also, I and my brothers and sisters were never allowed to go to the "show" or play cards on Sunday. I found it amusing that Miss Callie might administer the death penalty for adultry as easily as she might for murder. My dating days with warnings about how my mother felt about premartial sex would be a good analogy for me.
Our lives have changed so much since her death but I fondly recall her love for us and her many friends. This book awakened many wonderful feelings.
Rating:
Summary: Fans will likely love this book despite its weaknesses
Review: Fans of Grisham will no doubt find a lot to like in The Last Juror, especially those well conditioned to the sparse, even lax, writing style that he and others have made very popular. The novel draws us into the adventures of a young man who goes to work, at age 23, for a small town newspaper and winds up owning it in short order. The heart of the story, however, revolves around the rape and murder of a woman living in the small town, the trial and sentencing of the accused. Fast forward nine years, with a few intervening details thrown into the mix, and the accused is out of jail and threatening the town by just being back in the area, even though no one knows what he's up to. The characters in this novel, including the narrator, are not sharply drawn and, indeed, are almost forgetable from one chapter to the next. It is written in a style close to a memoir, forcing the narrator to tell what happened rather than letting it unveil itself in the manner of a good yarn. The "looking back" aspect detracts from the internal drama of the story. In other words, and doesn't call on the writer to expand the drama of scenes, since he, the narrator, already knows the outcome. I was left with the impression of a lot a events passing before me, without much chance to experience them or have the insight that must have come to the narrator living through them. Grisham throws in a thinly disguised version of Wal Mart to give details of what happens to a small town when the big discounter hits the area. This is a worthy effort because he shows how, in fairly short order, local businesses are driven under by the mega competition. Too many people, perhaps, have not considered the impact of their bargain hunting buying habits. Part of the inspiration for the concluding section of the novel clearly came from the Washington, DC, area sniper events of a year and a half ago. Grisham doesn't over play this aspect, however, which is good, for to do so would have overcome the story with artificiality. I had the impression from the closing third of the novel that Grisham was starting to hit his stride. Enriching elements that could have enlivened the earlier part of the book were rushed into the closing section. There was at least one glaring error of internal consistency. It happened in regard to explaining what the character Sam Ruffins had done while on the run from a jealous husband with murderous intent. There might have been other errors of this type that a more careful reader could find. Even though the error I discovered was rather small, it is not something one expects to find in a book by an experienced, best selling writer. This book was not boring and it covers a sweep of southern life late in the 20th century that many will find interesting. The importance of religion in small town life, the easy corruption of small time politics, the lasting impact of racism and segregation are all worthy topics given a breath of life in the novel. Grisham brings out a portrait of a vivid African American woman who overcame racism, something other author's have neglected, or been unable, to do. Her role in the storyline, however, is secondary, except for the friendship between her and the narrator. Still, all in all, for me, this was not a deeply memorable read. Enjoyable at times, yes. I am left with a question: how can something be interesting without being revealing, dramatic without being memorable?
Rating:
Summary: You will be glad you read it!
Review: I didn't know what to expect when I started out. John Grisham has never written a bad book...only great ones and even greater ones! The Last Juror is not an exception. The characters were real and the storyline was believable. In his true writing style, Grisham did a supurb job of telling the story. This is one of those books you really don't want to finish! The beginning is fast...the middle is steady...and the ending is wonderful! I won't give it away here. I'll just challenge the reader to pick it up, read it for five minutes, and just try to put it down! Buster Wasden
Albany, Ga
Rating:
Summary: Southern Comfort
Review: "A Time To Kill" is the best book John Grisham has ever written. "The Last Jury" is nowhere near the gripping, sweating, heart-pounding novel "A Time" was. . . but its pretty darn good. It is so comfortable. I found myself often supressing the urge to smile and then just giving up and going with it. You can visualize every single character. I felt as though I had my feet up on somebody's front porch, drinking iced tea and talking about each neighbor as they walked by. Loved this story!
Rating: 
Summary: Worst Ever?
Review: I thought after the very weak effort on Bleachers he would bounce back with one of his best efforts. WRONG! Don't waste your money, reading this book is less exciting than listening to Nora Jones.
Rating:
Summary: Special blend
Review: Only Grisham could write characters that you hate so much, yet don't mind being around. It's the mark of a great writer; one that is able to keep your interest in a character while letting you know he's the worst possible excuse for a human being on the planet. Such is the case with Danny Padgitt-the murderer and sociopath in Grisham's "The Last Juror." But Danny is only one of a handful of people that populate this small town where a newspaper has failed and, even though recently purchased, needs a shot in the arm to revive it completely. Enter Mr. Padgitt. And while he helps out with circulation figures-albeit in an indirect and unintentional way-he's also the vehicle that pulls the plot along, swearing to exact revenge on the jury that put him away for life. Life turns out to be only nine years and people start to die shortly thereafter-you do the math. At any rate, "The Last Juror" is an excellent read, full of great descriptions, wonderful characters, and a great plot. But then, you be the jury. Also recommended: A Time to Kill, The Firm, Bark of the Dogwood
Rating:
Summary: A great storyteller practices his art.
Review: The more novels John Grisham writes, the more he evolves as a storyteller. "The Last Juror" leans more toward current works such as "Bleachers" rather than his older, thriller-type works such as "A Time To Kill" or "The Firm", so if you are looking for a pulse-racing thriller, this may not be for you. While the plot was a little predictable, it is still an enjoyable ride. One of my favorite aspects of this novel is how Grisham weaves characters from previous works that were set in the same town into the story, such as: Lucien Wilbanks, Harry Rex Vonner, Judge Noose, and there is even a brief mentioning of Judge Atlee (from The Summons). A delight for Grisham fans, but if you have never read Grisham before, I would suggest starting with "The Runaway Jury" or "A Time To Kill".
Rating:
Summary: Fast Read -- Too short
Review: This book was a great fast read -- I wanted it to go on longer.
Rating: 
Summary: Like a delicious home-cooked meal: a fine tale
Review: How did I not realize this book was coming out? Thank heaven for the Kroger display as I dashed in for milk and juice Sunday night! I read John Royal's positive review in "The Houston Chronicle" and went to reading. And I did love the reading. But this is not Grisham's best book EVER. This is a good read, comforting as the meals protagonist Willie Traynor laps up on Miss Callie's porch in Clanton, Mississippi's Lowtown. And the suspense of a murder trial in 1970's Clanton, the town of Grisham's first dynamite novel, "A Time to Kill", does give it a great tone. Best of all it is a story of the little Southern town and its citizens as presented by the small town newspaper owner, a "northerner from Memphis and Syracuse University". And it is the best of worlds for Willie as he develops a style and a presence as a very important cog, though an outsider, in the wheel of progress that has come to Clanton during his journalist's career. He takes on the persona of a real character as he accepts a gentleman's attire complete with bow tie not unlike Tom Wolfe or Willie Morris, real writers/journalists of our times, who one can picture as inhabiting a Clanton and breaking into the industry in just such a way as fictional Willie Traynor. His cohorts and co-workers are colorful and familiar. And though a modern times tale, there is the feel of the town of "To Kill A Mockingbird" with Harper Lee's characters placed into more modern days. The evil folks still terrorize others, but the good folks stand for truth and justice. I was amazed at the overt bravery of Willie Traynor. I guess one has to credit it to youth and testosterone and the guidance of a skillful veteran writer who drives his main character into difficult situations. I was moved to tears near the end, and found that Grisham is still able to connect to my emotions. I recommend this book for a good winter read. Grisham has produced another tome that is worthy of the good folks of the South.
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