The Racketeer

By: John Grisham

Narrated by: JD Jackson

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Nothing is as it seems and everything’s fair game in this “deeply engrossing thriller” (The Washington Post) from the undisputed master of the legal thriller.

“The Racketeer is guilty of only one thing: keeping us engaged until the very last page.”—USA Today

In the history of the United States, only four active federal judges have been murdered. Judge Raymond Fawcett has just become number five. His body is found in his remote lakeside cabin. There is no sign of forced entry or struggle. Just two dead bodies: Judge Fawcett and his young secretary. And one large, state-of-the-art, extremely secure safe, opened and emptied.

One man, a former attorney, knows who killed Judge Fawcett, and why. But that man, Malcolm Bannister, is currently residing in the Federal Prison Camp near Frostburg, Maryland. Though serving time, Malcolm has an ace up his sleeve. He has information the FBI would love to know. Malcolm would love to tell them. But everything has a price—and the man known as the Racketeer wasn’t born yesterday.

Critic reviews

“Exhilarating . . . surprising . . . ingenious.”—Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“Grisham at his best: tilting at injustice . . . A satisfying, deeply engrossing thriller in which different forms of justice are ultimately served.”—The Washington Post

“Fast-paced . . . with enough startling plot twists—and changes of scenery, from Miami to Montego Bay and beyond—to surprise even the most suspicious reader.”—The Wall Street Journal

“Tautly plotted.”—Entertainment Weekly

“Devious fun . . . almost impossible to keep up with.”—New York Daily News

“Precisely plotted . . . Grisham is back in top form.”—Publishers Weekly

“[A] complex tale of cat and mouse . . . Evenly paced, smart legal thriller—trademark Grisham, in other words.”—Kirkus Reviews

OH I REALLY WANTED IT TO BE BETTER

Okay the good news... this book has a fairly interesting plot, although one must suspend belief to go along with the story as other reviewers have mentioned. And overall the book held my interest, mostly..... And on the other hand, nothing was noteable about this book. The narrator over enunciates every word to a fault.
And the plot although somewhat interesting, is forgettable. This is a shame because the author has given us many wonderful novels. Perhaps like some other successful writers the push to put out a book a year is maybe an unreasonable goal for the truly talented. Maybe a good book comes when it should and not on a predetermined schedule?

Simply Awesome

I loved The Racketeer. I have always felt John Grisham is the best at this type book and he seems to prove it with each new book. I have to say when I got this book I was in a slump. I have not been able to find a book that just grabbed me. Instead I have been reading good stuff but not great. listened to the book in one night and had to suffer the next day but boy was it worth it.

The Racketeer is vintage Grisham, with legal wrangling, murder, theft, and a story line to amaze. The main character Max was another super smart lawyer that has been wrongly convicted of a crime. Max and several other convicts spend two years planning the revenge on the federal government. Oh, and there is also millions of dollars at stake. Grisham uses the plot to fool you into the anticipating what the conclusion will be. By the time you realize the plot is not moving in the way you thought it would, boom the book is almost over. Grisham ends the book by telling you what happens to the main chracters and that really works for me. I cannot stand a book that leaves you wanting an explanation. I did think Grisham left out the ending for the unlikely bad guy. Did he die or go to jail, I do not know but would have liked to have known.

J.D. Jackson was the narrator and as always did a great job. I truely like to listen to his voice and it always makes the book better.

One of Best

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

I have read all of Grisham's adult books and this is one of the best. It has the usual twists and turns but this time you aren't in on the outcome for quite awhile.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Banister/Baldwin is the usual Grisham intelligent confident protagonist.

What about J.D. Jackson’s performance did you like?

Even timbre. He sounds like a story teller.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I just wanted it to keep going so I would know what happened.

Unlistenable narration

Any additional comments?

I purchased this audiobook a couple of days ago. I use audiobooks as a way to make a long work commute tolerable. And, Grisham is always a pleasant easy listen. This one has me ready to throw my iPod out the window. J.D. Jackson's narration is so painfully slow, deliberate, and over articulated, it's like someone reading to a really slow typist. Any comma in a sentence is a full second or two pause. The end of a sentence is as often as not 2-3 seconds of dead air. I've tried to get used to it now 3-4 times and simply can't do it. I keep thinking my iPod has stopped. "In Virginia, [long pause] we boarded the bus, [long pause], with stops planned in Kentucky, [long pause], West Virginia, [long pause], and Tennessee. [THREE SECONDS OF DEAD AIR]. Then the next sentence, also torturously slow and deliberate. It's almost as if they were trying to stretch the length. My fault--I should have listened to the sample--but I'm surprised more people haven't struggled with this one.

BL...ACTION

Would you consider the audio edition of The Racketeer to be better than the print version?

Always... I am a slow reader, and I can multi-task while listening to the best literature available. The narrator gives an interpretation in his reading I might not benefit from my own reading.

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

There are few books similar to this one. It is a story of culture, namely AfroAmerican culture. Mr. Grisham displays a rare talent: a white man telling a black man's story, frankly, unabashidly, and truthfully. All in a plot that twists, turns and wrenches the reader through all the prejudices of our society.
It is a legal epic that starts with the murder of a Federal Judge and the incarceration of an innocent (more or less) of a small time black lawyer. Angry, powerless, humble, and so dedicated to exonerate himself from the frame up he has been victimized by. The plot line is thorough and huge. A great read for all but well read bigots.

What about J.D. Jackson’s performance did you like?

He embodied the main character, soft spoken and intelligent.

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

The ending was phenominal.

Any additional comments?

A rare gem in the long list of Grisham's legal mind games.