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9/30/2014
Ranking All 31 John Grisham Books

Note: This has been updated since its initial publication to include Gray Mountain, Rogue Lawyer, and The Whistler.

John Grisham has released thirty-one bookstwenty-nine novels, one collection of short stories and one work of non-fiction.

Since I loved Vultures ranking of every Stephen King book, I decided to do the same for Grisham, whose work I have loved (to varying
degrees) for years, though hes certainly not perfect and his characters sometimes tend to repeat themselves.

(This list excludes the Theodore Boone series and Kindle singles.)

31

Skipping Christmas (2001) 2001 was the first time Grisham branched out and wrote something other than legal fiction. He published
two books without any lawyers that year. The second, Skipping Christmas, is 177 pages long and is still tortuous to finish. It begins with
a unique premise fed-up with the commercialization of Christmas, a couple decides to skip the holiday but the attempts at humor
are stale and the ending is overly sentimental.

30

The Litigators (2011) The knock on Grisham is that he writes cardboard characters with little or no shades of grey to their
personalities someone is either good or bad. While I would normally argue against that point, it is entirely appropriate for The
Litigators, which pounds home a message while also trying (and failing) to be funny. Also, like many of his later novels, it recycles
elements from previous works (in this case The Rainmaker, The Testament, and especially The Street Lawyer).

29

The Confession (2010) Much of Grishams inspiration comes from actual events and The Confession feels like a true news account.
Didactic and joyless, it takes on the problem of wrongful convictions and the death penalty but it is at once plodding and
implausible, with caricatures more than characters, painfully long, drawn-out scenes, and an ending that is both predictable and
unsatisfying.

28

Gray Mountain (2014)One of the (many) knocks on Grisham is that he has never written women well. Gray Mountain is the first time
his main character was a female and it did not go well. The book is overly preachy regarding the strip mining in West Virginia, but the
biggest problem is that the storys protagonist is both nave and unlikable.

27

The Whistler (2016)His second stab at writing from a womans point of view was better, but only slightly. The tale of a member of the
Board on Judicial Conduct investigating a corrupt judge, The Whistler does not have any climax or suspense, explaining the story in a
basicand boringmanner.

26

The Appeal (2008) The start of a stretch in which Grisham really began railing against social injustices, it led to the dullest era of his
career, resulting in four novels near in the bottom of this list. Almost comical in its David versus Goliath battle between a small-town
husband and wife legal team and a billionaire corporate executive (with commentary against political campaigning thrown into the mix),
The Appeal is almost too preachy to be enjoyable.

25

The Associate (2009) There are parts of The Associate , particularly in the first half of the book, that hearken back to early Grisham,
most especially The Firm, but it is a much less enjoyable read. The protagonist is whiny and unlikeable, the books climax is a dud, and
the book doesnt end so much as it just kind of stops.
1/5
24

Rogue Lawyer (2015)As his career progressed, Grisham began playing around with style and format, deviating from the formula of
his early works. This is the biggest departure, as he does things he hadnt done before, like writing short chapters (some very short)
and creating a book of multiple parts that dont intersect as much as they slightly overlap. Rogue Lawyer is Grisham channeling
Michael Connellys Mickey Haller, with a street lawyer whose office is his automobile and one that only plays dirty when the other side
does. But, when it comes to the street, Grisham is no Connelly and this comes off as generic and rote.

23

Playing for Pizza (2007) After the work of penning his only non-fiction work, Grisham quickly went to work on something light and
easy that had nothing to do with the law or death. Playing for Pizza follows an underachieving NFL quarterback to Parma, Italy, where
he rediscovers his love for the game and learns something about himself in the process. Its a fluff book, but more enjoyable than some
of his more moralizing ones.

22

The Broker (2005) Two years before Playing for Pizza, Grisham threw a dart at a map for the locale of his next novel and the dart
landed on Italy. Although it includes much of the maneuvering and intrigue of his best works, much of The Broker feels like a travel
guide of Bologna, complete with long descriptions of meals and landmarks and a romantic subplot that goes nowhere.

21

Bleachers (2003) The first Grisham book dealing with sports, Bleachers focuses on adults whose best years happened in high
school and how it is possible to simultaneously love and hate a person at the same time. Heavy with nostalgia and regret, short on story
and character, it is disposable yet still enjoyable.

20

The Runaway Jury (1996) Whether intentional or not, several Grisham books feature an antagonist that is much more interesting
and sometimes even more honest than the protagonist. This is especially true with The Runaway Jury. The first Grisham novel in
which story takes a backseat to message, it focuses on a landmark tobacco trial and the one juror that is manipulating it from the inside,
to such a degree that its easy to root against him.

19

Calico Joe (2012) Nearly all of Grishams non-legal works involve sports and most of them also deal with a mixture of nostalgia,
regret, and, ultimately, forgiveness. Calico Joe is no different. Told in a series of flashbacks, it is the story of the son of a middling Major
League pitcher who reveres another player instead of his father and the idea that one instant can change a life. Heartwarming and sad
at the same time, it features some of the authors more fleshed-out characters.

18

The Chamber (1994) An author that outlines each chapter before writing, Grisham has admitted that he did not do so for The
Chamber and its obvious. His first real stumble after becoming famous, The Chamber has one of the strongest openings of a Grisham
novel (and thats actually impressive because he has many), but it is a long, meandering work that plods over the last hundred pages,
dragging out the inevitable ending.

17

The King of Torts (2003) Another Grisham sermon, this time on the dangers of excess and greed, The King of Torts bounces
between some truly excellent parts and some very weak parts, ending up as a mediocre work as a whole.

16

The Summons (2002) Considering he splits time living between Mississippi and Charlottesville, one would think that a novel that is
set in those places would be great. Its not. The weakest Grisham book that takes place in Clanton, it tries to be a suspenseful whodunit
but winds up just following the main character as he drives around with a bunch of money in his trunk. The only thing that saves it from
being even worse is the welcome appearance of two of the best supporting characters in the Grisham catalog: Patton French and Harry
Rex Vonner.
2/5
15

Ford County (2009) His first (and thus far only) collection of short stories, Ford County finds Grisham in his element: telling stories
that occur in and around his favorite fictional town of Clanton, Mississippi. Containing several references and characters from his
novels, the stories are fun throwaways that give even more life to those in Ford County, though some (Blood Drive, Quiet Haven,
Fish Files ) are stronger than others (Fetching Raymond, Funny Boy ).

14

The Client (1993) Its amazing how successful The Client was considering how ridiculous it is. Its like MadLibs for popular fiction:
theres a dead senator, the mafia, a power-hungry district attorney, a savvy female lawyer with a pure heart, and an 11 year-old from a
trailer park that is smarter than everyone else in the book. The whole thing is contrived and the ending is predictable. Still, this was
early Grisham when he could make the cleaning of a bathroom a page-turner and the book flies along, never worrying about how
plausible it all is.

13

The Pelican Brief (1992) Two Supreme Court justices are brutally murdered on the same night. Everyone is baffled, except a law
school student that somehow outmaneuvers both the FBI and the worlds greatest hit man with the help of only a newspaperman. The
plot is unrealistic, but drawing inspiration from Three Days of the Condor, The Pelican Briefs strength lies in its breathless pacing and
the backroom dealings that occur in the halls of Washington, particularly those involving the presidents chief of staff and even though
you know shell escape, its still a fun ride.

12

Sycamore Row (2013) Nearly thirty years later, Grisham finally returned to the character based on himself, Jake Brigance . Set three
years after A Time to Kill , it was expected that Jake would be a rich, hotshot criminal defense attorney, so it was an admirable choice to

3/5
have him still struggling to make ends meet. Its obvious that Grisham loves not only this character but those with whom he interacts
and it was brilliant how he incorporated characters from other books (Willie Traynor, Mack Stafford, Reuben Atlee), but it doesnt have
the same feel as the first book, with an ending that is supposed to be a shock, but what happens is not only predictable, but also a plot
device that Grisham has used several times in the past (most notably in The Chamber and A Painted House).

11

The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town (2006) The only work of non-fiction in Grishams bibliography, The
Innocent Man deals with one of Grishams passions: wrongful convictions. Though it is a true account, parts of the book, particularly the
beginning, feel like a novel thanks to the authors storytelling ability. It ultimately slows down and while he tries to remain objective,
Grishams outrage comes across clearly on the page. It is a very well-done book, but the subject matter is so tough that reading it once
is enough.

10

The Firm (1991) The blockbuster that made Grisham a household name, The Firm is a story of a young lawyer that gets mixed up
with the mob after a taking a job offer that seems too good to be true. However, it is also an analysis of greed and how our upbringings
can lead us to make choices that may affect our lives. The final eighty pages wander aimlessly at points and the ending fits together a
bit too neatly, but Mitch McDeere is a fascinating character that keeps the pages turning.

The Racketeer (2012) Following the dull period from 2008 2011 when he released four consecutive books that focused more on
message than story, Grisham returned to form with The Racketeer, a taut yarn that keeps the reader guessing what will happen next as
well as trying to piece together the backstory at the same time. Though it is like many later Grisham works in that it borrows from
previous ones, The Racketeer is more nuanced and polished than his novels from the early 90s.

The Brethren (2000)Focusing on three judges that scam married men that are in the closet looking for gay pen pals, as well as a
presidential campaign, The Brethren has a smart premise. Though some of the characters come off as flat, its still clever and intriguing,
with some truly hilarious moments sprinkled throughout. This is one that has gotten a bit better with age.

The Street Lawyer (1998) The story of a young, affluent lawyer that gives up the big firm to help those in need is a recurring theme in
Grishams works, but it is best delivered in The Street Lawyer. When a homeless man takes a group of lawyers hostage for seemingly
no reason, the main character begins to ask why it happened and winds up questioning his entire life and career. This was the first of
many Grisham novels in which he tries to teach a message, but its done a bit more subtly and doesnt deter from the story.

The Testament (1999)Another great Grisham opening. This one begins in the first-person of a dying billionaire, but switches to a
third-person narrative beginning with chapter three. A dual plot of a lawyer searching for a missionary in Brazil while a group of heirs
challenge a will back home with clever plot twists and a somewhat surprising ending, it is also a veiled personal commentary from
Grisham on societys view on wealth and how others perceive those with money (like himself).

A Painted House (2001) For a writer known for plot and pacing, Grisham takes his time with A Painted House. His first non-legal
book and inspired by his childhood, he paints a vivid portrait of a young boy growing up on an Arkansas farm in 1952 in rich detail,
giving much more time to his characters than he usually does, resulting in a fine coming of age story.

The Rainmaker (1995) While it once again features the favorite Grisham trope of the idealistic little guy fighting an evil corporation,
The Rainmaker eschews the formula by following the exploits of a recent, non-exceptional graduate that struggles to find a job rather
than an Ivy League overachiever at a big firm. Grisham seamlessly blends the law, humor, love, optimism, despair, and post-college
angst into a single narrative that balances its idealism with just enough reality, resulting in my personal favorite Grisham work.

4/5
3

A Time to Kill (1989) I originally had A Time to Kill ranked at number one, just because it was the one that started it all and tackles
some difficult subject matter, but it has too many flaws to be worthy of the top spot. It begins with a chilling opening and doesnt stop
until the final page, but it rambles at times and gets in its own way once or twice. Plus, the n-word is used abundantly, something that
becomes more startling with each passing year (and something he would avoid in later works). Still, the story of Jake Brigance and his
ragtag group of allies taking on the KKK and the National Guard and the justice system is both inspired and inspiring and would be the
book by which all other Grisham novels are measured.

The Last Juror (2004) The best of both Grishams, The Last Juror mixes courtroom drama and small town lawyers with typical
Southern living and one mans maturity into adulthood in the 1970s. A prequel of sorts that is told in the first-person, it is set several
years before the events of A Time to Kill and features both Lucien Wilbanks and Harry Rex Vonner, the best characters from Kill, as well
as my favorite Grisham protagonist, Willie Traynor. Written nearly twenty years after his first book, the change in Grishams sensibilities
is clear as the n-word is used only once as opposed to hundreds of times, so in Grisham chronology, the outward racism in Clanton
gets worse as time goes on.

The Partner (1997) A Mississippi lawyer fakes his death, steals $90 million, and flees to Brazil, only to be found four years later and
brought home, but not without secrets and plans of his own. The storytelling in The Partner is sensational, keeping the reader guessing
from the first word to the last. The narrative jumps around in time like a Tarantino film, so pieces of the story emerge slowly from a
variety of sources and out of order, so the full picture is not clear until the final few chapters and its hard to know what characters to
trust. Moreover, it also has undoubtedly the greatest ending to a Grisham novel, at once satisfying and stunning, yet still ambiguous.
Theres a reason that Grisham refers to this book often in interviews. Some of his works have been more socially conscious and most
have featured more likeable characters, but The Partner remains Grishams best work to date.

5/5