A Painted House

A Novel

By: John Grisham

Narrated by: David Lansbury

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In a tense, poignant novel of a boy awakening to his small town’s secrets, “John Grisham takes command of this literary category just as forcefully as he did legal thrillers with The Firm” (Entertainment Weekly).

“You can’t help thinking of other coming-of-age novels from the South: Huckleberry Finn or To Kill a Mockingbird.”—The New York Times Book Review

Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers—and two very dangerous men—came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke’s world.

A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born . . . and someone has begun furtively painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly, bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. And as young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives—and change his family and his town forever.

Critic reviews

“Captivating . . . This is John Grisham’s best work.”—CNN

“The kind of book you read slowly because you don’t want it to end . . . John Grisham takes command of this literary category just as forcefully as he did legal thrillers with The Firm. . . . Never let it be said this man doesn’t know how to spin a good yarn.”—Entertainment Weekly

“Characters that no reader will forget . . . prose as clean and strong as any Grisham has yet laid down . . . and a drop-dead evocation of a time and place that mark this novel as a classic slice of Americana.”—Publishers Weekly

“Some of the finest dialogue of his career . . . Every detail rings clear and true, and nothing is wasted.”—The Seattle Times

“The pages turn. The characters take on their own lives. And at times, as the cotton bolls glisten in the sun, you can’t help thinking of other coming-of-age novels from the South: Huckleberry Finn or To Kill a Mockingbird.” —The New York Times Book Review

“Grisham, like the good suspense writer that he is, keeps subtly building the tension.”— Chicago Tribune

“Some of Grisham’s best writing . . . Even without lawyers, A Painted House earns a well-deserved favorable verdict.”—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Captivating . . . colorful characters.”—US Magazine

“Once again, Grisham has given us memorable characters and woven this fast-moving novel with the skill readers have come to expect.”—Houston Chronicle

“Danger, thrills, and gossip are among the sinister and exhilarating features of this new work. . . . Grisham proves that he can spin a story outside familiar territory.”—St. Petersburg Times

“Grisham lives up to his reputation as a prolific, inventive, and plot-driven storyteller. He throws in enough mayhem to keep the story line moving at a rapid clip.”—The Memphis Commercial Appeal

“The best kind of book. By the time you turn the last page, you’re so involved with the characters, you want to know what happened to them afterward.”—The Denver Post

“The writing is as crisp and evocative as ever, the characterization snappy, and the various plot strands knotted together with an adept hand.”—The Sunday Telegraph (London)

Entertaining Story

When John Grisham spoke at my graduation from Arkansas State University, I felt a bit guilty for not having read any of his works. The truth is though that I am not a huge fan of fiction. As a historian, I find the truth to be much more interesting then anything which can be imagined. This book beckoned me though as it takes place in the state where I grew up. It was very entertaining to listen to Lucas' story of life in the cotton. One of my friends, a good bit older then myself, responded to my inquiry on whether he had read this book with, "I remember being one of the hill people." It's a simple, sweet, and warm little story about the rough but honest life that some folks in Arkansas still live. You can find this kind of poverty still if you go farther south into the delta. I'm not much on Lawyer stories but I think Mr. Grisham hit a home run with this one. Iwonder if it was a St. Louis Cardinals homerun.

Touching story

This book is about a young boy growing up on a farm in Arkansas. They grew cotton and didn’t have much money. I really enjoyed the story although it didn’t seem like Grisham’s other novels. It kept my interest and the narrator did a great job.

A Painted House

This book was a lovely walk down the lanes of the past to see the world through a poor family's eyes. Easy listen. Definitely recommend.

Wonderful Story

I listened to every word. A wonderful story of three generations of a family. Great performance by Mr. Lansbury!

Favorite book

Love it! Will always read it over and over again. Narration was nicely done.