8°c Partly cloudy
19°c Variable cloudiness
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Novel's rapid clip zooms by reality checks
John Grisham (CP)
Book review
The Racketeer
- By John Grisham
- Random House, 340 pages, $32
Former lawyer Malcolm Bannister is in a real pickle.
He's been in a Maryland prison for five years and still facing another five after getting swept up in a massive federal bust, having stupidly not asked enough questions when his ne'er-do-well client had him move millions of dollars around offshore accounts.
Bannister has been disbarred, his wife has dumped him and taken his son far away. Most of his family and all his former friends want nothing to do with him.
Fortunately, Bannister knows all about Rule 35, which American lawyer-author John Grisham tells us is a federal statute that allows a convict to be let out if he or she can help solve a crime in the outside world.
Could Bannister have inside intelligence to trade about the torture and murder of a federal judge and his secretary at an isolated cabin?
Grisham's early thrillers, such as The Firm, The Pelican Brief and The Client, were humdingers, terrifically gripping and well-written.
But in recent years, he has dropped characterization in favour of caricature, replaced plot development with by-the-numbers superficiality, and pretty much misplaced his mojo.
The Racketeer moves along at a rapid clip, rarely stopping for breath or reality checks.
Grisham tells us repeatedly that the federal and state justice systems in the U.S. frequently prosecute and convict innocent people. Bannister finds numerous law enforcement agencies tripping over each other in their eagerness to cut deals that would get them the headlines for even bigger busts, the lack of evidence notwithstanding.
The feds with whom Bannister dickers and deals are all one-dimensional interchangeable stereotypes -- it's not really worth trying to keep track of who's who.
In one flashback, Bannister relates that it took 46 days between leaving the courthouse in handcuffs following his conviction and reaching prison. During that time, he rode prison buses and cargo planes all over the country, as the convicted were dropped off or picked up for transfer, an excruciating odyssey. Does anyone know if this is the norm?
Bannister, by the way, is African-American, and Grisham is white.
Having Bannister be black appears just to be a handy plot device. The system is even more stacked against him, and it's easier to set up his interactions with the demographic background of all kinds of minor characters.
Key to Bannister's plans are his job as prison librarian, and it's certainly worth noting the enormous amount of information a conniving convict can compile just by reading daily newspapers in print form.
Alas, it quickly becomes apparent that Grisham is still on the downward slide -- Bannister's plotting to win his release moves from unlikely and ludicrous to preposterous and absurd.
Nick Martin is a Free Press reporter.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 24, 2012 J8
History
Updated on Saturday, November 24, 2012 at 10:25 AM CST: adds fact box, adds photo
Fact Check
Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.
More Books
- Back to Top
- Return to Books
More Books
(1 of 31 articles for this week)
Winnipeg Bestsellers
05/23/2013 5:21 PM 0
HARDCOVER FICTION
1. Inferno, Dan Brown. Fiction. $30.00.
2. Paris, Edward Rutherfurd. Fiction. $37.95.
3. And the Mountains Echoed, Khaled Hosseini. Fiction. $30.00.
4. ...
Poll
Most Popular Books
- Backstreet Boy Nick Carter to release memoir about substance abuse, tumultuous family Sept. 25
- 'Glee'-ful: Lea Michele book 'Brunette Ambition' scheduled for 2014 release
- Winnipeg Bestsellers
- Nigerian novel critiques U.S. attitudes toward race
- Anne Murray memoir blows the lid off image of fresh-faced singer
- 'Inferno' by Dan Brown tops Maclean's fiction list
- Hookup culture killing romance with sex
- Families seek apology, ways to prevent other deaths
- Publisher: Sen. Elizabeth Warren has book deal; release planned for spring 2014
- WWII historian Rick Atkinson, a Pulitzer winner, writing about American Revolution
- Families seek apology, ways to prevent other deaths
- Nigerian novel critiques U.S. attitudes toward race
- Anne Murray memoir blows the lid off image of fresh-faced singer
- First edition 'Harry Potter' book, with JK Rowling's notes and drawings, sold for $228,000
- PAPER CHASE: Give grad the gift of penny-pinching
- Political stories entertaining, thought provoking
- CHILDREN'S BOOKS: First novel tribute to power of books
- Review: 'And the Mountains Echoed,' Khaled Hosseini's new book, is another tear-jerker
- Penguin Canada promotes Khaled Hosseini's new book with the Echo Project
- Life of Pi author Martel hears from Obama
- Anne Murray memoir blows the lid off image of fresh-faced singer
- Drunk Mom covers booze, but not the baby
- A long, dangerous road: Refugees share their journeys from Africa to Manitoba
- Cosmologist fights to bring real time back into physics
- Families seek apology, ways to prevent other deaths
- Life of Pi author Martel hears from Obama
- In the end, they knew what they were fighting against
- Nigerian novel critiques U.S. attitudes toward race
- Hookup culture killing romance with sex
- Mommy drinks because you cry!
- Ultimate fighter learns from fear
- Families seek apology, ways to prevent other deaths
- A killer of a day really may be one
- Nigerian novel critiques U.S. attitudes toward race
- First edition 'Harry Potter' book, with JK Rowling's notes and drawings, sold for $228,000
- Ultimate fighter learns from fear
- Families seek apology, ways to prevent other deaths
- Life of Pi author Martel hears from Obama
- Corporate control main problem with GMOs
- A killer of a day really may be one
- Less is more: Danish chef Trine Hahnemann promotes sustainable, seasonal eating
- Mommy drinks because you cry!
- SUSPENSE: Original European sleuth deserves wider audience
- Pat Conroy memoir about his father, 'The Death of Santini,' coming out in October
- Fascinating story of Canadian-U.S. differences
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.