Sycamore Row

Starred review from October 28, 2013
Leave it to Grisham to make a battle about wills nail-bitingly suspenseful in his second novel featuring lawyer Jake Brigance, the hero of Grishamâs debut, A Time to Kill. Itâs 1988, and Seth Hubbard, an elderly man dying of cancer, hangs himself after leaving detailed instructions for his funeralâand a handwritten will, penned the day before, that disinherits his children and gives 90% of his estate to his African-American caretaker, Lettie Lang. Since that unwitnessed document contradicts an earlier one, and Hubbardâs assets are north of $20 million, Brigance, who was asked by Hubbard in a note to represent his interests, has a battle on his hands when the disinherited lawyer up. The storyline takes several dramatic turns, even as why Hubbard was so generous to Lang, whom he was not close to, remains a mystery. All the authorâs strengths are in evidenceâhis capturing the rhythms of small-town life in Clanton, Miss., his skill at making legal minutiae comprehensible, and his gift at getting readers to care about his characters. Agent: David Gernert, Gernert Company.

January 27, 2014
Narrator Beck turns in a fine performance in this audio version of Grisham’s outstanding sequel to the classic courtroom drama A Time to Kill. It’s 1988 and Clayton, Miss–based lawyer Jake Brigance receives a handwritten will from the recently deceased Seth Hubbard that leaves the majority of his estate—roughly $20 million—to his African-American maid, thus disinheriting his own children. Along with the will is a letter from Hubbard instructing Brigance to defend his last wishes at all costs. With millions on the line, the Hubbard family aggressively contests the old man’s will, throwing Brigance into a trial full of twists and turns. Beck’s gentle accented reading skillfully captures the old-world, Southern tone of Grisham’s novel. Beck also keeps the story moving at a good pace and infuses each character with a distinctive regional voice. A Doubleday hardcover.