The Racketeer (Hardcover) by John Grisham

About the Book

It is remarkable that in the history of this country only four active federal judges have been murdered. Judge Fogletree just became number five. There was no forced entry, no struggle, just two dead bodies--Judge Fogletree and his young secretary. And only one man knows the story.

Book Synopsis

Given the importance of what they do, and the controversies that often surround them, and the violent people they sometimes confront, it is remarkable that in the history of this country only four active federal judges have been murdered.

Judge Raymond Fawcett has just become number five.

Who is the Racketeer? And what does he have to do with the judge's untimely demise? His name, for the moment, is Malcolm Bannister. Job status? Former attorney. Current residence? The Federal Prison Camp near Frostburg, Maryland.

On paper, Malcolm's situation isn't looking too good these days, but he's got an ace up his sleeve. He knows who killed Judge Fawcett, and he knows why. The judge's body was found in his remote lakeside cabin. There was no forced entry, no struggle, just two dead bodies: Judge Fawcett and his young secretary. And one large, state-of-the-art, extremely secure safe, opened and emptied.

What was in the safe? The FBI would love to know. And Malcolm Bannister would love to tell them. But everything has a price--especially information as explosive as the sequence of events that led to Judge Fawcett's death. And the Racketeer wasn't born yesterday . . .

Nothing is as it seems and everything's fair game in this wickedly clever new novel from John Grisham, the undisputed master of the legal thriller.

Review Quotes

Critical Acclaim for the Undisputed Master of the Legal Thriller

"With every new book I appreciate John Grisham a little more, for his feisty critiques of the legal system, his compassion for the underdog, and his willingness to strike out in new directions."--Entertainment Weekly

"John Grisham is exceptionally good at what he does--indeed, right now in this country, nobody does it better . . . Grisham's books are also smart, imaginative, and funny, populated by complex interesting people, written by a man who is driven not merely by the desire to entertain but also by genuine (if understated) outrage at human cupidity and venality."--Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post

"The secrets of Grisham's success are no secret at all. There are two of them: his pacing, which ranges from fast to breakneck, and his theme--little guy takes on big conspiracy with the little guy getting the win in the end. --Time

"The law, by its nature, creates drama, and a new Grisham promises us an inside look at the dirty machineries of process and power, with plenty of an entertainment." - Los Angeles Times

"John Grisham is about as good a storyteller as we've got in the United States these days."--The New York Times Book Review

"Grisham is a marvelous storyteller who works readers the way a good trial lawyer works a jury."--The Philadelphia Inquirer

"John Grisham owns the legal thriller."--The Denver Post

"John Grisham is not just popular, he is one of the most popular novelists of our time. He is a craftsman and he writes good stories, engaging characters, and clever plots."--The Seattle Times

"A mighty narrative talent and an unerring eye for hot-button issues."--Chicago Sun-Times

"A legal literary legend."--USA Today

About The Author

JOHN GRISHAM is the author of twenty-five novels, one work of nonfiction, a collection of stories, and two novels for young readers. He lives in Virginia and Mississippi.