The Widow: A Novel

I really thought this book by John Grisham would be like his other books. Trust me, I’ve read them all. However, this one is a little unique as it’s more like it’s hailed to be, a slow-rolled mystery.

Simon Latch, the lawyer, lives in rural Virginia and is down on his luck, amid a divorce, sleeping above his small law office, and only hanging on by working small projects, wills, trusts, and other basic small-town legal gigs. He also has a bit of a gambling problem. Nothing big, but enough to add to his troubles whenever he frequents the local pub where some under-the-radar sports betting takes place.

Then one day, an elderly woman walks into his office and requests a new will. She tells Simon she’s suspicious of the lawyer who wrote the original will, a shyster down the street, because he wrote himself in it. She has no family; she’s a widow with only some stepsons she doesn’t trust, and she’s not passionate about any charities or friendly with distant relatives, so she doesn’t know where her money should go. Simon sees us as an opportunity, an opportunity to at least make some good money by drawing up a new will for this seemingly wealthy widow. This is where the fun begins. The FBI goes after the gambling ring, including Simon; the stepsons find out about the new will; and this excellent new client isn’t all she’s cracked up to be.

I picked up this book because it’s an author I love and a legal thriller, but it’s really more of a mystery. As you read the first third of the book, you see where this is heading. That’s to be expected. Simon is making one critical mistake after another and ingratiating himself with some pretty shady characters. You also know he’ll face retribution for gambling and trying to keep his estate-coaching with the widow a secret from everyone, including his assistant. But the pace of the book was very slow in the first third, as you learned the details of this gambling process at the pub, a little bit more drawn out about Simon’s problems with his wife, issues that he had trying to connect with his kids, who are distancing from him, and just his lackadaisical and sad lifestyle. 

Once you get past those chapters, the energy of a true Grisham pace kicks in. And I was hooked. But while the widow is hailed as the “best of” John Grisham, I disagree. Oh, it’s good. And Grisham is a top-tier author, but I wish I could edit a little out of the beginning, where the details dragged. 

But let me be clear, great book, outstanding author. The man can truly weave a story. And for all those who love the legal fiction, thriller, or mystery, you really need to read The Widow. Then share your thoughts below.

Source: purchased 

Image Courtesy of Doubleday Books