The Racketeer

By: John Grisham

Narrated by: JD Jackson

Length: 12 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

Given the importance of what they do, and the controversies that often surround them, and the violent people they sometimes confront, it is remarkable that in the history of this country only four active federal judges have been murdered.

Judge Raymond Fawcett has just become number five.

Who is the Racketeer? And what does he have to do with the judge’s untimely demise? His name, for the moment, is Malcolm Bannister. Job status? Former attorney. Current residence? The Federal Prison Camp near Frostburg, Maryland.

On paper, Malcolm’s situation isn’t looking too good these days, but he’s got an ace up his sleeve. He knows who killed Judge Fawcett, and he knows why. The judge’s body was found in his remote lakeside cabin. There was no forced entry, no struggle, just two dead bodies: Judge Fawcett and his young secretary. And one large, state-of-the-art, extremely secure safe, opened and emptied.

What was in the safe? The FBI would love to know. And Malcolm Bannister would love to tell them. But everything has a price—especially information as explosive as the sequence of events that led to Judge Fawcett’s death. And the Racketeer wasn’t born yesterday....

Nothing is as it seems and everything’s fair game in this wickedly clever new novel from John Grisham, the undisputed master of the legal thriller.

©2012 Belfry Holdings, Inc. (P)2012 Random House Audio

A Great Read!!

I will say I have enjoyed all the Grisham books read by Michael Beck. I am prejudice in that area. I will have to admit though that J. D. Jackson did a great job in reading this book. I actually enjoyed his voice. The story will hook you from the beginning like all Grisham books do.
Definitely get this book you will not be sorry.

a little slow.. but give it 4 minus

What made the experience of listening to The Racketeer the most enjoyable?

A good story... a bit of revenge, a little redemption, a little wait for all the loose ends to finally tie together. Just a bit plodding... not quite enough tension to pull you through, but enough curiosity to make you want to hit the end.Seems like Grisham too often paints his female characters with a very shallow brush. The men have a slow and steady and "manly" strength.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Racketeer?

The flight to the island was a memorable sequence. Clever, a bit of tension.

Would you listen to another book narrated by J.D. Jackson?

I found that I was about to quit until I turned the speed to 1.5X.. then I was willing to finish the book. The Pace was just too slow on normal.

WOW! Another great by Grisham!

What did you love best about The Racketeer?

The developing plotline, the twists and turns, and especially the unexpected ending.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Malcolm was probably my favorite character. He is a schemer, a dreamer and a doer. I can't believe what he pulled off!

Have you listened to any of J.D. Jackson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have never listened to any of his other works.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wanted to, but its simply to long.

Any additional comments?

If your a fan of John Grisham, you won't be disappointed in this one. Its also the first of his books I have listened to that is in a First Person Narrative so that was refreshing.

Don't make too many assumptions with this book...

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. Lots of twists and turns. Can't think of any "slow" spots when I wanted to stop listening. All in all, a great story!

What did you like best about this story?

The surprises and the depth.

Which character – as performed by J.D. Jackson – was your favorite?

The main character - Malcolm Bannister.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The ending.

I am listened to it twice and enjoyed it both times

This book starts off in a place that you have no idea where you're going. I loved it so much I listened again. I appreciate the honesty of the author at the end but it never took away from a fascinating, smart detailed story. For once… Spoiler alert… You get to cheer ! When I run out of credit for books, I'll probably read it again!

One of his best!

Great story and masterfully told. Second time I listened and it was better this time.
There was not a watesed word or phrase or subplots that did not enhance the story. What an amazing book. And I have read 90% of all his fictional books.

well done

not sure why I hadn't listened sooner but this was a treat. amazing read by J.D. Jackson.

I love this book.

If you could sum up The Racketeer in three words, what would they be?

Interesting, great read, and fun

What other book might you compare The Racketeer to and why?

Don't know

Which character – as performed by J.D. Jackson – was your favorite?

Mostly all about Malcolm

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

What a guy can think of when he has the time.

Any additional comments?

None

A great book while driving

I listen to audiobooks when I drive. I like ones that are easy to follow so I can also pay attention to the read and which make the trip goes faster. The Racketeer was both. It was a very interesting story about the abuses of the federal legal system. I highly recommend it.

Great escape that's a bit far fetched.

If you're looking for a technically-accurate procedural novel, this isn't it. That being said, I actually enjoyed this book. I have read countless legal and crime thrillers and I've always been a sucker for the guy who beats the system. Yes there are plot points that don't quite add up, but the spirit of the plot is very good. Generally a book doesn't appeal to me because it is hyper accurate. The entire exercise is meant as an escape. Escape is exactly what I did with this book.

Maybe I'm slow, but I allowed the story to unfold without spending a lot of effort to figure it out or poke holes. This approach greatly enhanced my enjoyment. I had fun listening to this book and at no point did it feel like a chore. It held my interest throughout the story.

The best test for a book in my opinion is whether or not I find myself sitting in the driveway finishing a chapter while my family looks out wondering why I haven't turned off the car. When this happens I consider it a good book. I wasted about half a tank of gas finishing chapters on this book.

It's obviously not for everyone. The other review referencing The Firm is accurate. This lacks the pure energy and intensity of that type of book. The Racketeer is certainly different, but good on it's own.

The performance gets five stars. I am very picky when it comes to the voice acting, music, sound and production. This book allowed me to get into the movie in my head which tells me it was well done.

I will continue to buy Grisham and will definitely buy more from JD Jackson. Good luck and remember, this hobby is supposed to be fun.