Title:	The Racketeer
	Author:	John Grisham
	Published:	2013, Dell
	No. of Pages:	382
	Cover Price:	$9.99 US

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John Grisham is back with The Racketeer, and tells the story of Malcolm Bannister, a black attorney who previously worked in a law firm in a small town, but was caught up in some unfortunate legal issues which landed him in a Federal Prison Camp near Frostburg, Maryland. Although he is innocent, he is not only in prison, but has lost his wife, his career, and most importantly, his only son. Malcolm is very smart, and helps fellow inmates with their legal issues. This not only makes him well-liked and respected among the inmates and prison management, but also gives him the opportunity to learn important secrets.

When an important judge is murdered, Bannister knows who did it, and makes a deal with the feds to be released and to be a part of witness protection. He is a clever manipulator, and some of his actions are pretty brazen.

As is Grisham’s style, the story is told in an easy-going way that leads the reader to twists and turns that are wholly unexpected. While the suspense is palpable, readers don’t seem to realize that they are on the edge of their seats and are spellbound by what’s happening. And when the story gets close to the end, what seems reality is not, and the final ending is a total surprise.

Of course, no novel is perfect, and in this case, the story is not particularly believable. However, one can dream and hope, and with Grisham’s amazing storytelling abilities, the novel seems credible as it unfolds. For Grisham fans (and who isn’t?), this book is definitely recommended. It’s an easy fast read and is not to be missed.

This book was purchased with personal funds and no promotion of the book was solicited by the author or publisher.

This book may be purchased at Amazon: The Racketeer: A Novel