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[close] The Reckoning by John Grisham
3★

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.

It started out to be an interesting story...a murder that the killer, a decorated war hero, would give no reason for. At his trial he wouldn't show any reaction or help his lawyers even though he would get the death penalty. After the trial section there was an entire section devoted to the killers army career and his life as an escaped prisoner of war. Another entire section of the family history, It just became bogged down in background and lost the theme of the storyline. I really didn't think we were ever going to find out why he felt the man he killed deserved to die although the author did throw in enough hints that you pretty much could come to your own conclusion...seeing as it was the deep south in in the 1940's. Grisham fans will love it.