The Testament - by John Grisham (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - A disgraced corporate attorney ventures into a potentially lethal jungle, on a job no one wants, in this "entertaining page-turner" (USA Today) from the master of the legal thriller.

In a plush Virginia office, a rich, angry old man is furiously rewriting his will. With his death just hours away, Troy Phelan wants to send a message to his children, his ex-wives, and his minions--a message that will touch off a vicious legal battle and transform dozens of lives.

Because Troy Phelan's new will names a sole surprise heir to his eleven-billion-dollar fortune: a mysterious woman named Rachel Lane, a missionary living deep in the jungles of Brazil.

Enter the lawyers. Nate O'Riley is fresh out of rehab, handpicked for his last job: to find Rachel Lane at any cost. As Phelan's family circles like vultures in D.C., Nate goes crashing through the Brazilian jungle, entering a world where money means nothing, where death is just one misstep away, and where a woman--pursued by enemies and friends alike--holds a stunning surprise of her own.

Review Quotes

"A compulsory page-turner."--Newsweek

"Entertaining."--The New York Times Book Review

"Absorbing . . . The pages fly by."--Chicago Tribune

"His hordes of fans won't be disappointed: Grisham includes his trademark legal wrangling, zippy plot and engaging minor characters. The Testament is unabashedly spiritual without being doctrinaire."--USA Today

"Seductive . . . Grisham knows how to tell a story."--The Denver Post

"Complex and satisfying."--The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"The first two chapters . . . are good, dirty fun. Grisham shows a new lightness of touch here: the parts of The Testament that deal with the legal profession fairly snap along."--Los Angeles Times

"Holds the reader to the end . . . The Testament straddles two worlds: the familiar haunts of courtrooms, legal conferences, and judges chambers and the exotic wilds of Brazil."--Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Grisham fans . . . will love The Testament. He's a master of character and motivation."--The Plain Dealer

"Grisham writes with insider knowledge, an expert appreciation of the elegant legal gambit, and real relish at the unexpected things that can come out when smart, principled lawyers who've done their homework ask dishonest witnesses the right questions."--The Boston Globe

About the Author

John Grisham is the author of numerous #1 bestsellers, including The Firm, A Time to Kill, The Rainmaker, The Innocent Man, The Whistler, The Boys from Biloxi, and many more. His books have been translated into nearly fifty languages. Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction. Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system. He lives on a farm in central Virginia.