The Reckoning Quotes

“Meanness does not inspire loyalty.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“Mrs. Vanlandingham from across the street heard the commotion and came running, still holding a dish towel. She arrived just as the sheriff, Nix Gridley, wheeled into the parking lot and slid in the gravel.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“What a family,” he said softly.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“Hearing the truth is like grabbing smoke in our family,”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“People were classified, and often judged, by their denomination. And they were certainly condemned if they didn’t claim one.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“Hearing the truth is like grabbing smoke in our family,” Joel said.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“Halfway to town. Nix glanced in his mirror and said, "I'm not going to ask why you did it, Pete. Just want to confirm it was you, that's all."
Pete took a deep breath and looked at the cotton fields they were passing and said, "I have nothing to say.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“Halfway to town. Nix glanced in his mirror and said, "I'm not going to ask why you did it, Pete. Just want to confirm it was you, that's all."
Peter took a deep breath and looked at the cotton fields they were passing and said, "I have nothing to say.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“Giving up was painless, while living meant waking up in the morning and facing another day in hell.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“Bataan Peninsula”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“… the air was too thick to stir…”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“Why couldn’t he spend a few months fishing for trout in shallow mountain streams instead of sitting through dull classes, or driving to Whitfield for another depressing visit, or worrying about which legal hijinks Burch Dunlap might be cooking”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“I’m at a point in my life where I will not be yelled at.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“James Lindsey, age fifty-three, married; occupation—none; address—a rural road out from the remote settlement of Box Hill, almost to Tyler County. His questionnaire said he was a Baptist. He had volunteered nothing during the morning session, and no one seemed to know anything about him. Neither John Wilbanks nor Miles Truitt wanted to waste a challenge, so James Lindsey became the first juror selected for the trial.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“A question, Counselor,” she said. “If Mom had told the truth, what would Dad have done?” “I’ve been thinking of nothing else. I’m sure he would have divorced her and run her out of the county. He would have sworn revenge against Jupe, but then he’s safe in Chicago. Different laws up north.” “But she would be alive, wouldn’t she?” “I guess. Who knows?” “But Dad would certainly be alive.” “Yes, along with Dexter Bell. And we would have our land.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“She was as responsible for his death as he was for hers. Above them, they left behind two fine children who didn’t deserve to be punished for the sins of their parents.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“Liza wiped some tears and decided to keep things dark. No one knew she was there and lights would only attract attention.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“When the train arrived in Batesville, its sixth stop, at 4:15, Liza decided to get off.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“She walked two blocks along East Capitol to Mill Street and entered the Illinois Central Station, where she purchased a second-class ticket for the 1:50 train to Memphis.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“Is she schizophrenic?” Joel asked. “I don’t think so. For the most part, she understands reality and does not engage in false beliefs, with the exception of an occasional bout of paranoia. She does not hear voices. It is difficult to determine how she would act in social settings since she has not been released from here. But, no, I do not diagnose your mother as schizophrenic. Severely depressed, yes.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“She suffers from depression, anxiety, and acute stress. Her depression leaves her with no hope and thoughts of suicide and self-harm. Her anxiety is evidenced by high blood pressure, tense muscles, dizziness, and trembling. She suffers from insomnia one week and then sleeps for hours and hours the next week. She hallucinates, sees things that are not real, and often yells at night when she has nightmares. Her mood swings are extreme, but almost always on the dark side. If she has a good day, one in which she appears somewhat happy, it is almost always followed by two or three days of darkness. At times she is virtually catatonic. She is paranoid and thinks someone is stalking her, or that someone else is in the room. This often leads to panic attacks in which she is stricken with absolute fear and has trouble breathing. These usually pass within an hour or two. She eats little and refuses to take care of herself. Her hygiene is not good.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“released from Whitfield. John had cautioned him that such a clause might be hard to enforce if the children, as owners, for some reason wanted to prevent their mother from living there. The will had other problems, all carefully pointed out by the lawyer and all stubbornly ignored by the client”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“Pete had insisted on a stipulation that Liza be allowed to live in the home for the rest of her life, provided she did not remarry, and provided that she was one day”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“John Wilbanks had prepared the will not long after the trial. It was straightforward and left the bulk of Pete’s assets in a trust for Liza, with Wilbanks serving as the trustee, or controller. Pete’s most valuable asset, his land, had already been deeded to Joel and Stella in equal shares, and this included their fine home.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“Two quick beheadings. The Americans had never imagined anything like it. Pete was sickened and shocked and could not believe what was happening. His shock would wear off, though, as the murders became routine.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“With approximately seventy thousand soldiers under his command, General King’s surrender was the largest in American history.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“In the first weeks of the Battle of Bataan, the Japanese incurred heavy losses as the Americans and Filipinos fought furiously to protect their last stronghold. The Allies incurred far fewer casualties, but their dead could not be replaced. The Japanese had an endless supply of men and armaments, and as the weeks wore on they bombarded their prey with heavy artillery and relentless air attacks.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“In August of 1941, the United States supplied Japan with 80 percent of its oil. When President Roosevelt announced a complete oil embargo, Japan’s economic and military strength was imperiled.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“They were married on June 14, 1925. Joel was born on January 4, 1926, in an army hospital in Germany.”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning

“Between 1818 and 1940, the state hanged eight hundred people, 80 percent of whom were black. Those, of course, were the judicial hangings for rapists and murderers who had been processed through the courts. During that same period of time, approximately six hundred black men were lynched by mobs operating outside the legal system and thoroughly immune from any of its repercussions”
― John Grisham, The Reckoning