The Confession

A Novel

By: John Grisham

Narrated by: Scott Sowers

Length: 14 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

An innocent man is about to be executed.

Only a guilty man can save him.

For every innocent man sent to prison, there is a guilty one left on the outside. He doesn’t understand how the police and prosecutors got the wrong man, and he certainly doesn’t care. He just can’t believe his good luck. Time passes and he realizes that the mistake will not be corrected: the authorities believe in their case and are determined to get a conviction. He may even watch the trial of the person wrongly accused of his crime. He is relieved when the verdict is guilty. He laughs when the police and prosecutors congratulate themselves. He is content to allow an innocent person to go to prison, to serve hard time, even to be executed.

Travis Boyette is such a man. In 1998, in the small East Texas city of Sloan, he abducted, raped, and strangled a popular high-school cheerleader. He buried her body so that it would never be found, then watched in amazement as police and prosecutors arrested and convicted Donté Drumm, a local football star, and marched him off to death row.

Now nine years have passed. Travis has just been paroled in Kansas for a different crime; Donté is four days away from his execution. Travis suffers from an inoperable brain tumor. For the first time in his miserable life, he decides to do what’s right and confess.

But how can a guilty man convince lawyers, judges, and politicians that they’re about to execute an innocent man?

"John Grisham is about as good a storyteller as we’ve got in the United States these days." ( The New York Times Book Review)

©2010 Belfry Holdings, Inc (P)2010 Random House Audio

Intriguing story about the death penalty

This book will cause you to think about the death penalty and our legal system.

Thank You Grisham!

This is an Amazing Listen! This story is similar to many true to life stories of men who have been convicted of murders they did not commit and then murdered themselves on death row when it could have been prevented. Grisham really tapped into what is wrong with the American justice system and with the death penalty. Scott Sowers is a perfect narrator and made this book much more enjoyable (if possible). Few books get 5 stars from me and this one did. It really made me empathetic to all of the main characters, I really felt the pain and frustration. And if possible made me more anti death-penalty! Not many books can move a person, but this one could move mountains! Whether you are for or against the death penalty, you must listen to this book! Thank you Grisham, this will be a repeat listen for me!

Great book

Overall, great story, great performance and exciting. John Grisham is one of my favorite writers. Highly recommended.

very enjoyable

The Confession made our family's twice-weekly commute fly by. It was a compelling story; great performance.

A commentary on the judicial system

story line is interesting but does seem slow at points. A commentary on our judicial system.

Another Great by Grisham!

I hadn't read John Grisham for a few years, and decided to get this one. I am so glad I did, because it was one of the best books I've listened to in a while. I kept thinking this was a true story, and what is scary is that it very well could happen. Definitely worth time time and money to listen to.

A compelling, thought provoking listen

The book itself is classic Grisham: fiction as social commentary, a good story well told. While it loses steam on occasion as it delves into the minutiae of the legal system it is ultimately compelling throughout.
Scott Sowers as narrator is easy to listen too and deftly handles the myriad of characters with just enough of an accent for each to make it clear who is speaking.

Good Book until they get into the social justice

I was really enjoying this story, it unfolded kind of slow but was interesting. The narrator is not real good but they did not mess up the story - so it was ok.
Toward the end I was really getting into the story and then the last 3 or so hours it became apparent that this book /story had evolved into a rant from an Anti- Death Penalty perspective. That was disappointing because it took away from my enjoyment.
Other than that, it was good, I would recommend

Climactic until middle then becomes predictable

Grisham is clearly not a fan of the death penalty. Falls apart at the end.

a book that was hard to put down

Would you listen to The Confession again? Why?

yes it holds you in suspense the entire book

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

The Innocent Man by John Grisham

Which character – as performed by Scott Sowers – was your favorite?

the preacher

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

when they executed an innocent man

Any additional comments?

great listening