Pete Banning was Clanton, Mississippi's war hero. He was a from a prominent family and was a farmer, father, neighbor and member of the Methodist Church.
One morning, he walks into the Church and kills the Reverend Dexter Hill. He gives no explanation to anyone about his reasons for doing so. "I have nothing to say" was his only answer.
He goes to trial with really no way of winning the case. He will not answer to his attorney's, to his family, etc.
We are then brought through the history of the war that Pete went through before coming home. Pure horrendousness.
Then we are brought back to the family and all that they are dealing with.
This was well written. I am not a fan of warfare, so the lengthy discussion about the war in the Philipines was hard for me to get through.
One morning, he walks into the Church and kills the Reverend Dexter Hill. He gives no explanation to anyone about his reasons for doing so. "I have nothing to say" was his only answer.
He goes to trial with really no way of winning the case. He will not answer to his attorney's, to his family, etc.
We are then brought through the history of the war that Pete went through before coming home. Pure horrendousness.
Then we are brought back to the family and all that they are dealing with.
This was well written. I am not a fan of warfare, so the lengthy discussion about the war in the Philipines was hard for me to get through.
Another good one from Grisham. This one takes place in Ford County, Mississippi during the 1940s, prior to and after WWII. Pete Banning is a war hero that suffered through and survived the horrifying Bataan Death March in the Philippines during the early days of the U.S. involvement in the war. He returns home, broken but alive, to go back to his loving wife and family on his farm in the county. But then one morning, he drives into town and cold-bloodedly shoots and kills the church pastor, Dexter Bell. So why did he do this? All Pete can respond is "I have nothing to say."
This was a very tragic novel for Grisham showing how this act tore apart his family and farm that had been owned by the Bannings for generations. The book was divided into three sections. The second was a long narrative about what happened to Pete during the war including the atrocities committed by the Japanese during the Bataan march as well as in the prison camp where Pete was later interred. Really horrific stuff! Pete's experiences during the war were probably what led to why he could commit a cold blooded murder. But his motivations were the mystery of the novel and kept me in suspense until right up to the last pages.
This was also another example of Grisham's excellent portrayals of characters in the South. During the time period of the novel, blacks were definitely treated as second class citizens and Grisham is able to show this in his vivid prose. This was the sixth Grisham novel to take place in Ford County, following A Time to Kill, The Summons, The Chamber, The Last Juror, and Sycamore Row. I have only read two of these other novels so guess I need to catch up...
This was a very tragic novel for Grisham showing how this act tore apart his family and farm that had been owned by the Bannings for generations. The book was divided into three sections. The second was a long narrative about what happened to Pete during the war including the atrocities committed by the Japanese during the Bataan march as well as in the prison camp where Pete was later interred. Really horrific stuff! Pete's experiences during the war were probably what led to why he could commit a cold blooded murder. But his motivations were the mystery of the novel and kept me in suspense until right up to the last pages.
This was also another example of Grisham's excellent portrayals of characters in the South. During the time period of the novel, blacks were definitely treated as second class citizens and Grisham is able to show this in his vivid prose. This was the sixth Grisham novel to take place in Ford County, following A Time to Kill, The Summons, The Chamber, The Last Juror, and Sycamore Row. I have only read two of these other novels so guess I need to catch up...
I am shocked! One of my favorite must read author and I gave one star to his newest book.
I found it boring and tedious and didn't care about any of the characters or anything that happened to them.
The story of the war hero who was thought dead but survived the WW2 Bataan Death March came home and immediately planned a killing. When it was done, all he said was I have nothing to say. The legal courtroom story was ho-hum, no surprises and no defense though the lawyer tried his best with the jury to forgo the death penalty.
I can't discuss the ending nor the aftermath due to spoilers.
I found it boring and tedious and didn't care about any of the characters or anything that happened to them.
The story of the war hero who was thought dead but survived the WW2 Bataan Death March came home and immediately planned a killing. When it was done, all he said was I have nothing to say. The legal courtroom story was ho-hum, no surprises and no defense though the lawyer tried his best with the jury to forgo the death penalty.
I can't discuss the ending nor the aftermath due to spoilers.
Meh! not my favorite J.Grisham book. The description of the war in the Philippines was tedious ( unless you enjoy history of WWII). Disappointing conclusion, too!
This was a good book, cover to cover. Grisham doesn't disappoint
I must say this is the first Grisham novel where it seems obvious that when writing this, the basic plot was of far less importance than a desire on the part of the author to expose a significant historical event to his millions of readers like me who were totally unaware this actually happened. I'm speaking, of course, of Japan's occupation of The Philippines and all the horrors inflicted by the Japanese upon the American and Filipino soldiers as well as the Filipino people living there during this time; and likewise of General McArthur's abominable handling of these events. Personally, I feel most grateful to Grisham for my new-found awareness of these significant historical events. I have always felt a bit of ambivalence about Truman's decision to drop nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Natagaska (even when he knew that Japan would soon surrender without such nuclear devastation). But now that I know many of the facts revealed by Grisham, I no longer feel such ambivalence. Never too old to learn or more accurately gain further wisdom about past events!
For those who have little or no interest in learning anything new about history, or believe they already know all they care to know, those who simply want a straight-forward mystery, I strongly recommend skipping this one.
For those who have little or no interest in learning anything new about history, or believe they already know all they care to know, those who simply want a straight-forward mystery, I strongly recommend skipping this one.
Not your standard John Grisham legal thriller fare. This is a story of Joe Banning who sets out one day to murder the town's local pastor? From there, Pete takes full responsibility, but will not relay what drove him to commit murder, after all this is a decorated war veteran and successful businessman.
We not only get the story of the trial of Pete Banning, but we get the full backstory of him being in the war and becoming a P.O.W. During the whole time reading, as a reader, I was guessing what drove Pete to murder.
Let's just say, that I thought I had it figured out, but the real reason was a twist in many way and I will leave it at that.
We not only get the story of the trial of Pete Banning, but we get the full backstory of him being in the war and becoming a P.O.W. During the whole time reading, as a reader, I was guessing what drove Pete to murder.
Let's just say, that I thought I had it figured out, but the real reason was a twist in many way and I will leave it at that.
I read these days generally to be entertained by the story. There was nothing entertaining about this. I quit halfway through after seeing where Grishman went with this. I know I am in the minority when it comes to this book but I found it boring and a downer.
