“The Appeal” by John Grisham

REVIEW: I guess everything I’ve seen in the world has truly tainted me and, as a result, nothing in this book surprised me. Though he does a good job of showing how elections are manipulated, I didn’t find it particularly new or refreshing. Then again, the average apathetic voting citizen might be shocked. Overall, I felt it was better than some of his more recent books, though still not on par with his earliest novels. We both liked it but I only give it a rating of [3-Stars]

SYNOPSIS: In a crowded courtroom in Mississippi, a jury returns a shocking verdict against a chemical company accused of dumping toxic waste into a small town’s water supply, causing the worst “cancer cluster” in history. The company appeals to the Mississippi Supreme Court, whose nine justices will one day either approve the verdict or reverse it. Who are the nine? How will they vote? Can one be replaced before the case is ultimately decided? The chemical company is owned by a Wall Street predator named Carl Trudeau, and Mr. Trudeau is convinced the Court is not friendly enough. With judicial elections looming, he decides to try to purchase himself a seat on the Court. The cost is a few million dollars, a drop in the bucket for a billionaire like Mr. Trudeau. Through an intricate web of conspiracy and deceit, his political operatives recruit a young, unsuspecting candidate. They finance him, manipulate him, market him, and mold him into a potential Supreme Court justice. Their Supreme Court justice

Master Post Date 06/02/2009