Book review by Angela Thompson
Cokeville Branch Library
John Grisham is the author of more than fifty consecutive #1 bestsellers novels. I have enjoyed several of his novels and “The Widow”, a legal thriller, did not disappoint.
The story begins with Simon, a small town lawyer in Virginia. He is run down with life just getting by but desperately wanting more. His home life is a disaster, his wife Paula and him have not filed for divorce because they can’t afford it, but they both desperately want out. They still put on a show for their kids hoping to give them a happy home life, but he wonders if it really is making a difference.
He believes his luck may have finally changed when an elderly wealthy widow, Eleanor Barnett, walks into his office needing a new will. Her husband left her a small fortune that no one knows about. Eleanor had just come from another lawyer down the street and she felt dissatisfied with the work. When Simon reviews the will, he’s shocked to find that the new attorney, Wally Thackerman, has convinced Eleanor to leave everything to him through a trust. Simon is stunned and intrigued. As his mind starts racing, he offers to meet with Eleanor the next day to help revise the will, all the while quietly battling a way to be more clever than Wally.
Over the next several months, Simon invests significant time in Eleanor, taking her out to lunch, being constantly available, and building her trust. Despite his efforts, he can’t get a clear picture of her total wealth. He also avoids involving others, hoping to keep things under the radar.
When Eleanor is involved in a terrible car accident and hospitalized, Simon is there to help her and checks on her daily. She initially begins to recover, but her condition suddenly worsens, and she passes away. Soon after, Simon is taken into custody and questioned about her death. Simon knows he is innocent. What follows is a trial where nothing is quite as it seems, he knows the jury is turning against him.
I enjoyed this story; It was engaging from beginning to end. As always, John Grisham does a great job at keeping the pace fast and the plot moving. The twists and turns kept me hooked throughout the book.
This book and many others by John Grisham can be found at your local library and on the Libby App.
