The Reckoning

A Novel

De: John Grisham

Narrado por: Michael Beck

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “An original, gripping, penetrating novel . . . Grisham is not only the master of suspense but also an acute observer of the human condition.”—David Grann, author of Killers of the Flower Moon and The Wager

October 1946, Clanton, Mississippi

Pete Banning was Clanton, Mississippi’s favorite son—a decorated World War II hero, the patriarch of a prominent family, a farmer, father, neighbor, and a faithful member of the Methodist church. Then one cool October morning he rose early, drove into town, and committed a shocking crime. Pete’s only statement about it—to the sheriff, to his lawyers, to the judge, to the jury, and to his family—was: “I have nothing to say.” He was not afraid of death and was willing to take his motive to the grave.

In The Reckoning, John Grisham takes us on an incredible journey, from the Jim Crow South to the jungles of the Philippines during World War II, from an insane asylum filled with secrets to the Clanton courtroom where Pete’s defense attorney tries desperately to save him.

Reminiscent of the finest Southern Gothic storytelling and layered with Grisham’s signature legal suspense, The Reckoning delivers on every page.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“A murder mystery, a courtroom drama, a family saga. . . . The Reckoning is Grisham’s argument that he’s not just a boilerplate thriller writer. Most jurors will think the counselor has made his case.”—USA Today

“Cleverly subversive . . . Grisham continues the rich literary tradition of Southern authors confronting a culture of white supremacy.”—The Washington Post

“The quest for justice is only the beginning in this Southern-family saga . . . Grisham does so much more this time around.”—Associated Press

“John Grisham is not only the master of suspense but also an acute observer of the human condition. And these remarkable skills converge in The Reckoning—an original, gripping, penetrating novel that may be his greatest work yet.”—David Grann, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon and The Wager

“John Grisham is the master of legal fiction, and his latest starts with a literal bang—and then travels backward through the horrors of war to explore what makes a hero, what makes a villain, and how thin the line between the two might be.”—Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Small Great Things and By Any Other Name

“In this saga of love and war, John Grisham has given us a sprawling and engrossing story about a Southern family, a global conflict, and the kinds of secrets that can shape all of us. From the courtrooms and jails of rural Mississippi to the war-torn Pacific, Grisham spins a tale that is at once entertaining and illuminating.”—Jon Meacham, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Soul of America

“When a master of storytelling and suspense takes on one of the most wrenching stories in history, the result is a book that will break your heart, set your blood pumping and your mind racing, and leave you gasping for breath by the final page. I’m still trying to recover from The Reckoning.”—Candice Millard, New York Times bestselling author of The River of Doubt and Destiny of the Republic

I Can't Believe All The Negative Reviews!

I read and loved Grisham's books for years; waiting eagerly for a new one to be published. But I had not bought any of his books the last few years because the reviews on Audible have been so bad. Despite the soso reviews, I had to read "A Time for Mercy", Grisham's newest book because I love the main character, Jake Brigance. The book was a great continuation of that character's story! Don't understand the supposed Grisham fans that gave such lukewarm reviews.
Anyways.... after that I decided to seriously rethink the other books I'd passed on. I took a chance on "The Reckoning" despite the bad reviews. I'm so glad I did! This was a great story!
This is an incredible, intricate story. The WWII story line that everybody seems hung up on was very interesting to me. Like others who enjoyed this part of the story, I spent time looking up and reading more on that part of our history; much of it new to me. I will never think of General Douglas MacArthur in the same way as I did before reading this book! The many detractors of this part of the storyline don't seem to understand how it connects to the rest of the story. Well, it seems simple to me. If like Pete, you suffered all those atrocities, went through hell and only survived because by sheer will you were determined to return to the woman and family you adored; you can to some degree understand his actions when he returned home from the war. (Though it bothers me that he didn't think more of the impact on his children.)
I also don't understand all the reviewers who complained about the character developments in the story. In all his stories that I can remember, Grisham has always written details about main and secondary characters that make his stories interesting, humorous and relatable. I'm almost always left wanting to know more not less about a character! I wanted to know more about Ninevah and Amos! And I LOVED seeing Lucien Wilbanks' father and uncle in this book!! Just imagine young Lucien running around Clanton in this story!!
I don't believe all those people who say they figured out the ending early on. The story makes you think you might know what really happened but Grisham doesn't tell you till the last few minutes of the story. I do wish as some others said that we got a little more story about Joel and Stella.
Yes, this is a sad story. So what?!! Do people only read happy stories?!! This is a story of war history, Southern family history, love, betrayal, sin and consequences; consequences that will reverberate through generations. Don't pass this book by because others didn't understand the story.

Stunning! Few Authors Can Do This.

The twists left me agape. The story's like one of those tunes that worm into your mind and keep coming back. Pete is an amazing character, ditto his wife and family. The ending is simultaneously disconcerting yet absolutely perfect. The cast is tune perfect... Grisham has an ear for dialogue that transcends genre writing. No Grisham novel is better than The Reckoning. Read it for the historical insight alone, then for the conundrum of a plot engine.

The Reckoning

This book had too many chapters devoted to very graphic descriptions of being a POW during WWII. I wasn't expecting this. Good history and the author clearly knew a lot about such an experience but I fe!t the heroism of the character could have been established without a full section of the book being devoted to it with such detail.

Kept my interest

A good depiction of the culture in rural Missippi during the first half of the 20th century. Had an unexpected ending. I really enjoyed this book!

Good story

Good story , but dragged on a bit long . good performance, just too long