The Legal Labyrinth: Tracing John Grisham’s Novels in Order

In the thrilling world of crime and courtroom drama, few authors hold a candle to John Grisham. Known for his gripping narratives and keen insights into legal intricacies, Grisham’s books have kept readers on the edge of their seats for over three decades. This blog post is your definitive guide to his numerous works, listed in chronological order.

So whether you’re a longtime fan looking to retrace the stories or a curious newcomer ready to dive into the master storyteller’s universe, this list will help you navigate the complex labyrinths that are John Grisham’s novels. Welcome to a world where the scales of justice teeter on the razor’s edge.

Who is John Grisham?

John Grisham is an internationally acclaimed author, known for his compelling legal thrillers. Before becoming a novelist, Grisham was a criminal defense attorney and a Mississippi state legislator. He started writing in 1984, and his second novel, ‘The Firm’, catapulted him to fame.

John Grisham Books in Order of Publication:

Grisham’s works began with ‘A Time to Kill’ in 1989 and include:

1. A Time to Kill (1989)
2. The Firm (1991)
3. The Pelican Brief (1992)
4. The Client (1993)
5. The Chamber (1994)
6. The Rainmaker (1995)
7. The Runaway Jury (1996)
8. The Partner (1997)
9. The Street Lawyer (1998)
10. The Testament (1999)
11. The Brethren (2000)
12. A Painted House (2001)
13. Skipping Christmas (2001)
14. The Summons (2002
15. The King of Torts (2003)
16. Bleachers (2003)
17. The Last Juror (2004)
18. The Broker (2005)
19. Playing for Pizza (2007)
20. The Appeal (2008)
21. The Associate (2009)
22. The Confession (2010)
23. The Litigators (2011)
24. Calico Joe (2012)
25. The Racketeer (2012)
26. Sycamore Row (2013)
27. Gray Mountain (2014)
28. Rogue Lawyer (2015)
29. The Whistler (2016)
30. Camino Island (2017)
31. The Rooster Bar (2017)
32. The Reckoning (2018)
33. The Guardians (2019)
34. Camino Winds (2020)
35. A Time for Mercy (2020)

Please note that this list only includes novels and does not include non-fiction, short stories, or his young adult Theodore Boone series.

John Grisham Books in Order – Jake Brigance and Theodore Boone Series

The Jake Brigance series is a trilogy of legal thrillers that begins with Grisham’s first published novel, ‘A Time to Kill’. The order is:

1. A Time to Kill (1989)
2. Sycamore Row (2013)
3. A Time for Mercy (2020)

The Theodore Boone series is a young adult series revolving around a 13-year-old who knows more about the law than most adults. The series includes:

1. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer (2010)
2. Theodore Boone: The Abduction (2011)
3. Theodore Boone: The Accused (2012)
4. Theodore Boone: The Activist (2013)
5. Theodore Boone: The Fugitive (2015)
6. Theodore Boone: The Scandal (2016)
7. Theodore Boone: The Accomplice (2019)

John Grisham Books in Order – Other Non-Legal Stories

Grisham has written a few books that deviate from his standard legal fare:

1. A Painted House (2001) – This is a coming-of-age story set in rural Arkansas.
2. Skipping Christmas (2001) – This holiday-themed novel is a comedy about a couple trying to skip Christmas.
3. Bleachers (2003) – This novel is about a high school football player in a small Texas town.
4. Playing for Pizza (2007) – This is a humorous tale about an NFL quarterback who ends up playing for an Italian football team.
5. Calico Joe (2012) – This novel is about baseball, focusing on a nearly perfect game.

What is the best way to approach reading John Grisham’s books in order?

While many of Grisham’s novels can be read as stand-alone books, reading them in order of publication allows you to appreciate his evolution as a writer. However, for the series books (like the Jake Brigance or Theodore Boone series), it is best to read them in order to fully understand the character development and overarching storylines.

How many books has John Grisham written so far?

John Grisham has written 35 novels, one work of non-fiction, six Theodore Boone books (for young readers), and a collection of short stories.

1. A Time to Kill (1989)

Set in the fictional town of Clanton, Mississippi, this legal thriller revolves around the trial of a black factory worker, Carl Lee Hailey. Hailey is accused of murdering two white men who brutally assaulted and raped his ten-year-old daughter. Representing him is Jake Brigance, a young, ambitious lawyer.

Brigance is up against a harsh judicial system and mounting social pressure in a racially charged environment. The book raises profound questions about the nature of justice, the law’s limits, and societal prejudices.

2. The Firm (1991)

Mitch McDeere, a Harvard Law graduate, is thrilled to join a prestigious Memphis law firm with an attractive compensation package. However, he soon uncovers the firm’s dark secret – their sinister affiliation with the Mafia. As the FBI closes in, Mitch finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place.

He must devise a brilliant plan to save his life without breaching attorney-client privilege.

3. The Pelican Brief (1992)

After two Supreme Court Justices are assassinated, Darby Shaw, a Tulane Law student, drafts a speculative legal brief outlining the crimes, which becomes known as the “Pelican Brief.” The brief suggests a conspiracy reaching the highest levels of power. When it finds its way to the FBI, Darby becomes a target, leading her on a perilous journey to expose the truth.

4. The Client (1993)

Eleven-year-old Mark Sway and his younger brother witness the suicide of a Mafia lawyer, who, before dying, reveals a deadly secret about a senator’s murder. This information makes Mark a Mafia target, leading him to seek the help of Reggie Love, a tough attorney with a soft spot for children. They must outwit both the Mafia and the ambitious federal prosecutor on their tail.

5. The Chamber (1994)

Young attorney Adam Hall takes on the most challenging case of his career when he decides to defend his grandfather, Sam Cayhall. Sam, a former Ku Klux Klan member, is on death row for a 1960s bombing that killed two Jewish children. As the execution date looms, Adam must uncover his family’s dark past and fight a system determined to execute his client.

6. The Rainmaker (1995)

Rudy Baylor, a newly qualified attorney without a job, takes on an insurance bad faith case against a large and ruthless insurance company that denied a legitimate claim from a leukemia patient. Facing off against an army of experienced lawyers, Rudy learns about the gritty reality of the legal world.

7. The Runaway Jury (1996)

A landmark tobacco trial in Biloxi, Mississippi, has a scheming juror, Nicholas Easter, manipulating the jury from the inside. Meanwhile, his partner, Marlee, negotiates millions from both the defense and prosecution to deliver the verdict they want, turning the trial into a high-stakes bidding war.

8. The Partner (1997)

Patrick Lanigan, a former law partner presumed dead, resurfaces after stealing ninety million dollars from his old firm. Now, with the FBI, his former colleagues, and a professional bounty hunter on his trail, Patrick must outwit his pursuers to keep his freedom and his life.

9. The Street Lawyer (1998)

After a homeless man holds attorney Michael Brock hostage, Brock becomes disillusioned with his high-priced corporate law life. He abandons it to become a “street lawyer,” fighting for the rights of the homeless and underprivileged.

10. The Testament (1999)

Billionaire Troy Phelan bypasses his greedy relatives and leaves his fortune to a mysterious illegitimate daughter, Rachel, a missionary living in Brazil. Disgruntled relatives contest the will, and troubled lawyer Nate O’Riley is sent to find Rachel, embarking on a dangerous journey into the remote Pantanal region.

11. The Brethren (2000)

In a minimum-security federal prison, three former judges known as “the brethren” run a mail scam extorting money from wealthy closeted gay men. Meanwhile, Teddy Maynard, the CIA director, is running his candidate, Aaron Lake, for the US presidency to increase defense spending significantly.

When their operations inadvertently cross paths, a dangerous game of cat and mouse ensues.

12. A Painted House (2001)

Breaking away from the legal thriller genre, this book is a coming-of-age story set in the late summer of 1952. Seven-year-old Luke Chandler lives on a small cotton farm in rural Arkansas, where secrets and violence threaten to rip apart his family and their quiet existence. As Luke navigates his complicated world, he paints vivid imagery of the post-war American South.

13. Skipping Christmas (2001)

In a comedic departure from Grisham’s usual fare, Luther and Nora Krank decide to “skip” Christmas and escape on a Caribbean cruise, causing an uproar in their Christmas-obsessed suburban neighborhood. However, their plans take a hilarious turn when their daughter decides to come home for Christmas.

14. The Summons (2002)

Law professor Ray Atlee is summoned by his ailing father, Judge Atlee, to discuss his will. But when Ray arrives, he finds his father dead and over $3 million in cash hidden in the house. As Ray tries to deal with this mysterious inheritance, he’s trailed by a dangerous figure who’s after the money.

15. The King of Torts (2003)

Clay Carter, a young public defender, is handed a case involving a man charged with a random street killing. He thinks it’s just another senseless murder until he discovers a conspiracy involving a pharmaceutical giant and an experimental drug that may be causing homicides.

With this revelation, Clay transitions from a low-paid public defender to a rich tort lawyer, but his meteoric rise comes with significant risks.

16. Bleachers (2003)

Neely Crenshaw was once a high school All-American football player under the coaching of Eddie Rake, the legendary coach of Messina High School’s Spartans. Fifteen years later, Neely returns to Messina when Coach Rake is on his deathbed. The story unfolds over four days, weaving together the town’s football history and the men it shaped.

17. The Last Juror (2004)

In 1970, Willie Traynor takes over a small-town newspaper in Mississippi. His most sensational story becomes the brutal rape and murder of a young mother by Danny Padgitt, a member of a notorious local family. The trial, conviction, and surprising aftermath form the crux of this novel about justice, retribution, and the power of the press.

18. The Broker (2005)

Joel Backman, a power broker who was imprisoned for his role in a high-tech spying scandal, receives a presidential pardon in the waning hours of an administration. The CIA covertly smuggles him to Italy, setting him up with a new identity.

But they’ve also alerted several nations of his presence, intending to discover who can find and kill him first. Backman must now outmaneuver his pursuers to stay alive.

19. Playing for Pizza (2007)

In this departure from legal thrillers, Grisham introduces Rick Dockery, a disgraced NFL quarterback who finds a new chance in the Italian National Football League. Playing for the Parma Panthers, Rick faces cultural challenges, strange rules, and the delights of Italian life while trying to redeem himself on the field.

20. The Appeal (2008)

The Appeal delves into the world of judicial elections and dirty politics. When a Mississippi jury awards a $41-million verdict against a chemical company accused of polluting a town’s water supply, the company’s billionaire owner decides to fight back.

He handpicks a candidate to run for the Mississippi Supreme Court, intending to manipulate the judicial system to overturn the verdict.

21. The Associate (2009)

Kyle McAvoy, a promising Yale Law School student with a dark secret from his past, is blackmailed by a shady organization to spy on a high-profile law firm working on a multibillion-dollar lawsuit.

As he navigates this dangerous assignment, he tries to turn the tables on his manipulators, revealing layers of power, corruption, and conspiracy within the legal world.

22. The Confession (2010)

Travis Boyette, a serial sex offender, confesses to the rape and murder for which Donte Drumm, a black Texas high school football star, has been wrongfully convicted. Drumm is just four days away from his execution. Now, their lawyer, Reverend Keith Schroeder, must scramble against time and legal barriers to stop the execution of an innocent man.

23. The Litigators (2011)

This is a story about a down-and-out law firm, “Finley & Figg,” that sees a golden opportunity to take on a big pharmaceutical company. Their new associate, David Zinc, a burnout from a high-profile law firm, becomes the lead attorney on the case. The unscrupulous practices, infighting, and David’s fight for justice form the novel’s core.

24. Calico Joe (2012)

In this heartwarming novel, Grisham merges his love for law and baseball. The story revolves around a fictional player, “Calico Joe” Castle, who takes the baseball world by storm in the summer of 1973. After an ill-fated pitch ends Joe’s career, the lives of two families become intertwined, leading to a surprising confession and a chance at redemption decades later.

25. The Racketeer (2012)

Disbarred attorney Malcolm Bannister, serving time in federal prison for a white-collar crime he didn’t commit, learns some damning information about the murder of a federal judge. He offers to help solve the case in exchange for his freedom.

However, his motives aren’t as straightforward as they seem, setting the stage for a complex web of revenge and manipulation.

26. Sycamore Row (2013)

Jake Brigance, the hero of “A Time to Kill,” is back, this time representing the estate of Seth Hubbard, a wealthy man who hung himself and left his fortune to his black housekeeper, cutting out his own family. As the will sparks a tense conflict over money and race, Jake must navigate the explosive situation to see justice served.

27. Gray Mountain (2014)

Samantha Kofer, a high-powered Manhattan lawyer, finds herself jobless in the 2008 recession. She takes on a free internship at a legal aid clinic in Virginia’s coal mining country. As she confronts the dark side of the coal industry, Samantha must decide whether to return to her old life or fight for the underprivileged in an unfair system.

28. Rogue Lawyer (2015)

Sebastian Rudd is not your typical street lawyer he works out of a bulletproof van, carries a gun, defends people other lawyers won’t touch and fights against a system he believes is often unjust. With a rebellious spirit, Rudd takes on a series of high-stakes cases that test his skills and ethics.

29. The Whistler (2016)

Lacy Stoltz, an investigator for the Florida Board on Judicial Conduct, encounters a corrupt judge involved with a casino on Native American land. The judge’s corruption has facilitated organized crime, resulting in a high body count. As Lacy delves deeper, she’s targeted by dangerous individuals who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets.

30. Camino Island (2017)

After a heist at the Princeton University Library, a black market dealer in rare books, Bruce Cable, becomes a suspect. Mercer Mann, a struggling writer, is approached by a mysterious woman to infiltrate Cable’s literary circle, leading to a tale full of suspense, unexpected twists, and turns.

31. The Rooster Bar (2017)

Mark, Todd, and Zola, three disillusioned law students mired in student debt, discover their for-profit law school is part of a scam run by a Wall Street predator. Instead of facing a bleak future, they decide to practice law without licenses, taking on the corrupt system while trying to evade their crushing debts and the law.

32. The Reckoning (2018)

In 1946, distinguished war hero Pete Banning walks into his church and shoots the Reverend Dexter Bell, offering no defense at his trial. As his lawyer struggles to save Pete from the death penalty, the novel explores the past and reveals the shocking reasons behind Pete’s actions.

33. The Guardians (2019)

Cullen Post, an Episcopal minister turned lawyer, works for Guardian Ministries, a small nonprofit fighting to exonerate inmates wrongfully convicted of murder. He takes on the case of Quincy Miller, who has been in prison for 22 years for a crime he didn’t commit. As Post uncovers a nest of legal corruption, he becomes a target himself.

34. Camino Winds (2020)

In this sequel to Camino Island, Bruce Cable, bookstore owner, and occasional sleuth, investigates the suspicious death of a thriller writer during a hurricane. As he probes deeper, he uncovers a web of deceit and dangerous secrets in his idyllic island community.

35. A Time for Mercy (2020)

Jake Brigance, the defense lawyer from A Time to Kill, is back. This time he’s defending a 16-year-old boy, Drew Gamble, who’s accused of killing a local deputy. As Jake confronts a bitterly divided community, he fights for Drew’s life and the pursuit of justice.

John Grisham Books in Order of Publication: Why is it important?

Understanding the order of John Grisham’s books is valuable because it provides insights into the progression of his writing style and themes. Although most of his novels are standalone, some characters and settings recur, providing a richer experience for readers familiar with his earlier works.

For example, Jake Brigance, the lawyer in “A Time to Kill,” reappears in two later novels. Also, reading the books in order highlights Grisham’s growth as an author, expanding from legal thrillers to exploring other genres.

John Grisham Books in Order – Jake Brigance and Theodore Boone Series: Why are they notable?

The Jake Brigance and Theodore Boone series are notable because they demonstrate Grisham’s versatility in creating characters that engage different demographics. The Jake Brigance series, which includes “A Time to Kill,” “Sycamore Row,” and “A Time for Mercy,” provides an in-depth look at the moral complexities of the legal world through the eyes of a small-town lawyer.

John Grisham Books in Order – Other Non-Legal Stories: Why does Grisham explore other genres?

John Grisham’s exploration of genres beyond legal thrillers reveals his adaptability as a writer. These narratives often depict southern U.S. life, delve into human experiences, or offer lighthearted humor.

Novels like “A Painted House,” “Skipping Christmas,” and “Playing for Pizza” showcase Grisham’s talent for capturing various facets of the human condition, proving that his storytelling skills extend beyond the courtroom.

What is the best way to approach reading John Grisham’s books in order?

If you’re a new reader, starting with Grisham’s earlier works can provide a foundation for his recurring themes, settings, and style. Once you’ve read his popular legal thrillers like “A Time to Kill” or “The Firm,” you can explore his other genres.

However, Grisham’s novels mostly stand-alone, so you can also choose based on the book’s individual plot or theme that appeals to you the most.

What makes John Grisham’s books so popular?

John Grisham’s books are renowned for their gripping narratives that combine thrilling plots with intricate legal details. His experience as a practicing lawyer lends authenticity to his stories, providing readers with an insider’s view of the legal system.

Additionally, Grisham’s writing style, which is accessible yet intellectually stimulating, appeals to a broad spectrum of readers. His ability to create complex characters, explore moral ambiguities, and reflect on societal issues within his novels further enhances their appeal.

Conclusion

In conclusion, John Grisham’s books offer an exhilarating journey through the world of law and beyond. Whether you’re a fan of nail-biting thrillers, evocative Southern tales, or touching coming-of-age stories, Grisham’s diverse collection ensures there’s a book for every reader.

Remember, while reading in order can provide additional insights, each Grisham book is an adventure in itself. Happy reading!