The Racketeer
by John Grisham
$28.95
Known as the master of the legal thriller, John Grisham's recent book, The Racketeer, comprises the complexity and craftsmanship of his previous page-turners.
When Judge Raymond Fawcett becomes the fifth active federal judge to be murdered, the question of who killed the judge and why becomes a key focal point of this novel. Fawcett and his secretary were found in a lakeside cabin, with no signs of a break-in or a struggle. The state-of-the-art safe has also been left open, and nothing remains in it.
Malcolm Bannister, Mal, is an ex-Marine and a former attorney, who knows who killed the judge and his secretary and why. However, Mal is in Federal prison serving 10 years for getting caught up in racketeering charges he was unaware of ever committing. For Grisham's 30th novel, the topic of the humanity within our justice system is a central theme, which is demonstrated through the character of Mal and the sentencing that put him in jail initially. Through the intellectual storytelling of Grisham, Mal uses Rule 35 in his favor to propose a reduced sentencing and witness protection in exchange for unveiling who killed Fawcett and the motivation behind it.
Grisham does not uncover all of the aspects of the story in a typical way, and readers will find themselves at the hands of another thriller where crucial moments and information are divulged unexpectedly.
The Sins of the Mother
by Danielle Steel
$28
One of the world's most popular authors, Danielle Steel, adds another title to her list of novels with the addition of The Sins of the Mother. Some of Steel's other novels include 44 Charles Street, Legacy, Family Ties and Big Girl, which are known for being character rich.
Within The Sins of the Mother, Steel's main character is Olivia Grayson, who is a businesswoman and has made business a priority in life, more so than her children. In building her home-furnishings company, Olivia was unable to juggle family life and her work, which has caused family tensions, since her children are now grown.
Realizing that she missed out on prominent memories and aspects of her children's lives, Olivia wants to make up for lost time. Each year Olivia plans an over-the-top trip and invites her children, grandchildren and daughters-in-law to attend. This year she plans a holiday in the Mediterranean on a yacht.
Olivia has four children, who have all responded to their childhood in varying ways. Cassie, who is her younger daughter and is a music producer in London, does not accept the invitation. Olivia's older daughter, Liz, strives to impress her mother, while also wanting to be a writer. Her two sons, John and Phillip, work for her, which adds another layer of tension because their wives are not fond of it.
As they all board the luxurious yacht, unsettled past memories arise, and the "sins" in which Olivia's children blame their mother for take shape. The complexity of family and forgiveness become prominent themes throughout this novel.
Butch
Cassidy: Beyond the Grave
by W.C. Jameson
$22.95
The story of Robert LeRoy Parker, a.k.a. Butch Cassidy, is one that is full of many unanswered questions that author W.C. Jameson sought out to examine and shed light on through his biography, Butch Cassidy: Beyond the Grave. Jameson, who is a professional treasure hunter and author, is not satisfied with the chronicling and unproven research done by outlaw historians, especially concerning the controversial death surrounding Butch Cassidy.
Beginning with his childhood in Utah and continuing on through his criminal life with the Wild Bunch and the Sundance Kid, Jameson depicts a vivid picture of Cassidy during the late 19th century.
The end of the book focuses on whether Cassidy was killed in a shootout in Bolivia in 1908, which is what traditionally is said or if he came back to the United States. Jameson presents the evidence that some say Cassidy came home under the identity of William T. Phillips. William T. Phillip had a strikingly similar appearance to Cassidy and emerged once Cassidy died, causing some to believe that it was in fact Cassidy in disguise. In 1937 when Phillips died, The Bandit Invincible, which was a manuscript left by him, contained little-known facts about Cassidy, leading to more speculation of when Cassidy actually died.
Jameson describes Butch Cassidy's story as a "historical conundrum," which the treasure hunter depicts through his research and writing of the famous outlaw.
