A Thought-Provoking Legal Thriller

John Grisham succeeds in writing another passionate legal thriller that keeps your mind thinking throughout. The vivid depiction of characters is the foundation of this absorbing plot. I found myself hooked on the story of Mark Sway, an eleven year old boy who was sharing a cigarette with his younger brother in a deserted lot, when a depressed mafia lawyer tells him information that would change his life forever. Mark was now stuck in an unimaginable situation. Prosecutors would do anything to make him speak up, and the mafia will stop at nothing to keep his mouth shut. The rowdy, yet mature Mark hires a lawyer, Reggie Love, who has suffered her own hardships. After a rough divorce, Reggie lost custody of her own children, and she treats and handles Mark like he was hers. The most pleasurable element in this novel was the development of the relationship between this tentative boy and his sympathetic, stern lawyer. Grisham’s consistent usage of fast dialogue presents authentic, convincing scenes.“If I tell you something, will you ever repeat it?” he asked. “Of course not, it’s confidential.” “What does that mean?” “It means simply that I can never repeat anything you tell me unless you tell me I can repeat it.” “Never?” (Grisham, 110) This dialogue was from the first time Reggie and Mark met. Reggie’s knowledge of the legal system was able to teach me a few things, and the curiosity of Mark presents an underlying humour within the novel. Mark still has that inner child (even though he had been through a lot) that makes you want to care for the character, and helps you understand his thought process.

The Client is written quite simplistically to recognize the position of this questioning, curious child. The novel still contains descriptive writing that helps you visualize each scene. “The front-page story in the Memphis Press about Clifford’s death was written top to bottom by Slick Moeller, a veteran police reporter who had been covering crime and cops in Memphis for thirty years. His real name was Alfred, but no one knew it. His mother had called him Slick, but not even she could remember the nickname’s origin. Three wives and a hundred girlfriends had called him Slick. He did not dress exceptionally well, did not finish high school, did not have money, was blessed with average looks and build, drove a Mustang, could not keep a woman, and so no one knew why he was called Slick.” (Grisham, 138) The detail shown in the excerpt shows how innovative and in-depth Grisham’s writing style is.

I found that The Client was a thought-provoking thriller that kept me on the edge of my chair while reading. The ability to create compassionate and unique characters truly adds to the suspense of the plot. By developing a real interest in the characters, I was able to see how hard it was to put this book down. Grisham separates himself from other legal suspense writers because his in-depth characterization pulls together this captivating plot. I would certainly recommend this book to any reader out there, anyone who has ever been young will be caught up in this passionate plot. Well done!