If you love legal thrillers, or stories about crime and investigation, John Grisham is one author you may enjoy. Many of his books focus on legal fiction, with fast-paced action and satisfying resolutions. Readers can attest to his storytelling skills and ability to make something as mundane as cleaning a bathroom an entertaining read!
He also likes to develop moral themes, such as the issues of greed and generosity, and correcting mistaken verdicts. For example, one of the ideas that recurs most in his books is that of a lawyer giving up an affluent career in a big firm in order to fight for the poor.
14 Best John Grisham Books Stay Up All Night With
We’ve compiled the best of John Grisham’s books, including thrillers you won’t be able to put down.
1. The Firm
This was only John Grisham’s second book, but it instantly made the bestseller lists and inspired a major movie starring Gene Hackman and Tom Cruise. The story follows a top law school student recruited by a large firm, who ends up discovering something crooked was going on behind the scenes.
2. A Time to Kill
This book, inspired by a 12-year-old rape victim’s courtroom testimony, was initially rejected by several publishers and received a conservative print run. When The Firm hit the bestseller list, Doubleday republished this book as a “second” release. The book explores issues like retribution and racial violence.
3. The Rainmaker
This courtroom drama is fast-paced and enjoys a tinge of humor, featuring an underdog lawyer who challenges a large insurance company. This is one of Grisham’s most enjoyable reads, thanks to the quick pacing of the story.
4. The Testament
Still a legal thriller like his other books, The Testament adds an integral element: the protagonist has to go on a dangerous trip through the outskirts of Latin America. Grisham continues to explore serious themes with this book, focusing on sin and redemption and greed and materialism.
5. The Street Lawyer
Michael Brock has it all: a prestigious career with giant D.C. law firm Drake & Sweeney, and enough money to live as comfortably as he wishes. But then a homeless man rushes into his office, brandishing a gun and holding nine of the attorneys hostage.
6. The Summons
Don’t let this book’s simple plot fool you: chances are, you’ll be reading this all night to keep moving forward in the story of a father discovered dead by his two estranged two sons.
7. The Broker
Set in Italy, this book starts off a bit slower than usual, partly because of the details he puts into describing the setting. This story focuses on a presidential pardon alongside a significant amount of international intrigue, bringing in the CIA in the process.
8. Camino Island
This book is testament to the fact that Grisham can write genres other than legal thrillers. The main character is a woman who sets out to solve a mystery involving manuscripts by F. Scott Fitzgerald that have gone missing.
9. The Guardians
The story opens with Quincy Miller having been accused of killing his lawyer. More than 20 years later, he appeals his case with a group called Guardian Ministries to overturn his sentence. When the lawyer looks into Quincy’s case, he finds a dangerous group that is actually responsible for that murder—and they wouldn’t think twice about killing again.
10. Rogue Lawyer
Sebastian Rudd is not a typical lawyer, and this book tells of his encounters with his clients in the criminal world. Readers describe it as gritty but fun first foray into Grisham books.
11. The Innocent Man
This book is Grisham’s foray into true crime stories, inspiring the Netflix documentary of the same title. Roy Williamson is a baseball hero from a small town who almost got into the Big Leagues, if not for his drinking and drug abuse. When a woman is murdered in Williamson’s hometown, a link to Williamson turns up, and although innocent, he ends up receiving the death sentence.
12. A Painted House
Set in the South in the 1950s, this book is a mystery novel about a 7-year-old boy named Luke. When two sets of migrant workers arrive at his family’s cotton farm, a dangerous series of events follows suit, including a murder, which turns Luke’s life upside down.
13. Skipping Christmas
This is John Grisham’s best-known book to stray from the mystery genre, taking a crack at a humorous novel following a couple tired with the chaos of celebrating Christmas. They decide to skip it this year by going on a cruise, with opposition from their neighbors and friends. This book inspired the movie Christmas with the Kranks, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Tim Allen.
14. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer
If you want to share your love of John Grisham to a younger reader, this is the book for you. Theo Boone is a 13-year-old whose sole life dream is to become a laywer. In fact, he can now pretty much act like one! What happens when, following a real murder case, he comes across secret information that draws him right into the case?
The good news is that there are several books in the series, so you can easily add more books to give your younger friend or family member.
What Was John Grisham’s First Number One Bestseller?
John Grisham’s The Firm, published in 1991, was his first bestseller, selling over seven million copies. Many of his other books have become bestsellers too, although some of his books have also received scathing reviews.
Reading John Grisham Books
Although John Grisham’s legal thrillers are a great page-turner to keep you awake all night, he has proven his prowess as a storyteller by diversifying into many other genres. This means that, whatever your taste, there may just be a John Grisham book for you!
If it’s your first time to read his works, we recommend starting with one of the books in this list, as these are the ones that have received the most rave reviews. Take it as a chance to explore genres you may not have tried before.
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Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
