last 3 books by john grisham

The Complete John Grisham Book List

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• B.A., English, Duke University

John Grisham is a master of legal thrillers. His novels have captured the attention of millions of readers, from adults to teens. Over three decades, he has written nearly one book per year, and a number of those have been adapted into popular movies.

From his debut novel " A Time to Kill " to the 2020 release of "A Time for Mercy," Grisham's books are nothing short of captivating. Over the years, he's branched out from legal stories as well. His complete list of published books includes stories about sports as well as non-fiction. It's a compelling body of literature.

Lawyer Turned Best-Selling Author

Grisham was working as a criminal defense attorney in Southaven, Mississippi when he wrote his first novel, "A Time to Kill." It is based on an actual court case that dealt with racial issues in the South. It enjoyed modest success.

He entered politics, serving in the state legislature on the Democratic ticket. Meanwhile, he began writing his second novel. It was not Grisham's intent to leave law and politics to become a published author, but the runaway success of his second endeavor, "The Firm," changed his mind.

Grisham quickly became a prolific, best-selling author. In addition to novels, he has published short stories, nonfiction, and young adult books.

Grisham Captures Mainstream Readers From 1989–2000

Few new writers have exploded onto the literary scene like John Grisham. " The Firm " became the top-selling book of 1991 and was on The New York Times Best Seller List for nearly 50 weeks. In 1993, it was made into a movie, the first of many to come based on Grisham's novels .

From "The Pelican Brief" through "The Brethren," Grisham continued to produce legal thrillers at the rate of about one per year. He tapped into his experience as a lawyer to create characters who faced moral dilemmas and dangerous situations.

During the first decade of his work, multiple novels were eventually made into major big-screen films. These include "Pelican Brief" in 1993, "The Client" in 1994, "A Time to Kill" in 1996, "The Chamber" in 1996, and "The Rainmaker" in 1997.

• 1989 - "A Time to Kill"
• 1991 - "The Firm"
• 1992 - "The Pelican Brief"
• 1993 - "The Client"
• 1994 - "The Chamber"
• 1995 - "The Rainmaker"
• 1996 - "The Runaway Jury"
• 1997 - "The Partner"
• 1998 - "The Street Lawyer"
• 1999 - "The Testament"
• 2000 - "The Brethren"

Grisham Branches Out From 2001–2010

As the best-selling author entered his second decade of writing, he stepped back from his legal thrillers to examine other genres.

"A Painted House" is a small-town mystery. "Skipping Christmas" is about a family that decides to skip Christmas. He also examined his interest in sports with "Bleachers," which tells the story of a high school football star returning to his hometown after his coach dies. The theme continued in "Playing for Pizza," a story about an American playing football in Italy.

In 2010, Grisham introduced himself to a younger audience with "Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer," written for middle school readers.

Also in this decade, Grisham released "Ford County," his first collection of short stories, and "The Innocent Man," his first nonfiction book; the latter is about an innocent man on death row. Not to turn his back on his dedicated fans, he rounded out this period with several legal thrillers as well.

• 2001 - "A Painted House"
• 2001 - "Skipping Christmas"
• 2002 - "The Summons"
• 2003 - "The King of Torts"
• 2003 - "Bleachers"
• 2004 - "The Last Juror"
• 2005 - "The Broker"
• 2006 - "The Innocent Man"
• 2007 - " Playing for Pizza"
• 2008 - "The Appeal"
• 2009 - "The Associate"
• 2009 - "Ford County" (short stories)
• 2010 - "Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer"
• 2010 - "The Confession"

2011 to Present: Grisham Revisits Past Successes

Following the success of the first "Theodore Boone" book, Grisham followed up with six more books, turning it into a popular series.

In "Sycamore Row," a sequel to "A Time to Kill," Grisham brought back protagonist Jake Brigance and key supporting characters Lucien Wilbanks and Harry Rex Vonner. He continued his policy of writing one legal thriller every year and threw in a couple of short stories and a baseball novel called "Calico Joe" for good measure. 

Grisham's 30th book was released in 2017, titled "Camino Island." Another intriguing crime novel, the story centers around stolen F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscripts. Between a young, enthusiastic writer; the FBI; and a secret agency, the investigation tries to track down these handwritten documents on the black market.

Following this came "The Rooster Bar," which follows three law students who suspect that their school is not what it claims to be. "The Recoking" is the story of a war hero who commits a surprising crime. Finally, "A Time for Mercy" brings readers back to Mississippi for another sequel to the well-loved "A Time to Kill."

• 2011 - "Theodore Boone: The Abduction"
• 2011 - "The Litigators"
• 2012 - "Theodore Boone: The Accused"
• 2012 - "Calico Joe"
• 2012 - "The Racketeer"
• 2013 - "Theodore Boone: The Activist"
• 2013 - " Sycamore Row"
• 2014 - "Gray Mountain"
• 2015 - "Theodore Boone: The Fugitive"
• 2015 - "Rogue Lawyer"
• 2016 - "Partners" (a "Rogue Lawyer" short story)
• 2016 - "Theodore Boone: The Scandal"
• 2016 - "Witness to a Trial" (a digital short story)
• 2016 - "The Whistler"
• 2017 - "Camino Island"
• 2017 - "The Rooster Bar"
• 2018 - "The Reckoning"
• 2019 - "The Guardians"
• 2019 - "Theodore Boone: The Accomplice"
• 2020 - "Camino Winds"
• 2020 - "A Time for Mercy"
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• John Grisham

John Grisham books in order

John Ray Grisham Jr., popularly known as John Grisham, is an American attorney and award-winning author of legal thrillers, young adult and non-fiction books.

Born in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Grisham holds a J.D. degree from the University of Mississippi, School of Law, one which he acquired in 1981.

Upon graduating from law school, Grisham started practicing law, with a focus on criminal defense and personal injury litigation.

He was elected to the Mississippi state House of Representatives in 1983, where he served until 1990.

Inspired by cases and testimony, Grisham began writing for fun in the wee hours of the morning before going to work.

His debut novel, A Time to Kill, was published in 1989, while his second novel, The Firm (1991) , was received well, selling more than seven million copies.

The book was also adapted into a 1993 feature film, The Firm, starring Tom Cruise.

Other books by the author that have been adapted into films include: The Chamber, The Client, A Painted House, The Pelican Brief, The Rainmaker, The Runaway Jury, Skipping Christmas, and A Time to Kill.

Genres: Legal Thriller, Non-fiction, Thriller, Young Adult

United States

Website: http://www.jgrisham.com/

• A Painted House
• A Time for Mercy
• A Time to Kill

Camino Island

• Camino Winds
• Don't Quit Your Day Job
• Fetching Raymond
• Ford County
• Gray Mountain
• Playing for Pizza
• Rogue Lawyer
• Skipping Christmas
• Sparring Partners
• Sycamore Row
• The Abduction
• The Accomplice
• The Accused
• The Activist
• The Associate
• The Boys from Biloxi
• The Brethren
• The Chamber
• The Confession
• The Fugitive
• The Guardians
• The Innocent Man
• The Judge's List
• The King of Torts
• The Last Juror
• The Litigators
• The Partner
• The Pelican Brief
• The Racketeer
• The Rainmaker
• The Reckoning
• The Rooster Bar
• The Runaway Jury
• The Scandal
• The Street Lawyer
• The Summons
• The Testament
• The Testament / A Time to Kill
• The WaveDancer Benefit
• The Whistler
• Three Classic Thrillers (The Firm / The Appeal / The Chamber)
• Witness to a Trial
• The Firm (1991)
• The Pelican Brief (1992)
• The Client (1993)
• The Chamber (1994)
• The Rainmaker (1995)
• The Runaway Jury (1996)
• The Partner (1997)
• The Street Lawyer (1998)
• The Testament (1999)
• The Brethren (2000)
• A Painted House (2000)
• Skipping Christmas (2001)
• The Summons (2002)
• The King of Torts (2002)
• Bleachers (2003)
• The Last Juror (2003)
• The Broker (2004)
• Playing for Pizza (2007)
• The Appeal (2007)
• The Associate (2009)
• The Confession (2010)
• The Litigators (2011)
• Calico Joe (2012)
• The Racketeer (2012)
• Gray Mountain (2014)
• Rogue Lawyer (2015)
• The Rooster Bar (2017)
• The Reckoning (2018)
• The Guardians (2019)
• Sooley (2021)
• The Boys from Biloxi (2022)
• Camino Island (2017)
• Camino Winds (2020)

Collections

• Ford County (2009)
• Sparring Partners (2022)

Jake Brigance

• A Time to Kill (1989)
• Sycamore Row (2013)
• A Time for Mercy (2020)

Lacy Stoltz

• The Whistler (2016)
• The Judge's List (2021)

Non-fiction

• The WaveDancer Benefit (2002)
• The Innocent Man (2006)
• Don't Quit Your Day Job (2010)
• Fetching Raymond (2011)
• The Tumor (2015)
• Partners (2016)
• Witness to a Trial (2016)

Omnibus Books

• The Testament / A Time to Kill (1988)
• Three Classic Thrillers (The Firm / The Appeal / The Chamber) (2012)

Theodore Boone

• Kid Lawyer (2010)
• The Abduction (2010)
• The Accused (2012)
• The Activist (2013)
• The Fugitive (2015)
• The Scandal (2015)
• The Accomplice (2019)

Detailed book overview

When Mitch McDeere signed on with Bendini, Lambert & Locke of Memphis, he thought that he and his beautiful wife, Abby, were on their way.

The firm leased him a BMW, paid off his school loans, arranged a mortgage, and hired the McDeeres a decorator. Mitch should have remembered what his brother Ray–doing fifteen years in a Tennessee jail–already knew: You never get nothing for nothing. 

Now the FBI has the lowdown on Mitch’s firm and needs his help. Mitch is caught between a rock and a hard place, with no choice–if he wants to live.

In suburban Georgetown, a killer’s Reeboks whisper on the floor of a posh home. In a seedy D.C. porno house, a patron is swiftly garroted to death. The next day America learns that two of its Supreme Court justices have been assassinated. And in New Orleans, a young law student prepares a legal brief.

To Darby Shaw it was no more than a legal shot in the dark, a brilliant guess. To the Washington establishment it’s political dynamite. Suddenly Darby is witness to a murder–a murder intended for her. Going underground, she finds that there is only one person–an ambitious reporter after a newsbreak hotter than Watergate–she can trust to help her piece together the deadly puzzle.

Somewhere between the bayous of Louisiana and the White House’s inner sanctums, a violent cover-up is being engineered. For someone has read Darby’s brief–someone who will stop at nothing to destroy the evidence of an unthinkable crime.

Eleven-year-old Mark Sway and his younger brother are sharing a forbidden cigarette when a chance encounter with a suicidal lawyer leaves Mark knowing a bloody and explosive secret: the whereabouts of the most-sought-after dead body in America.

Now Mark is caught between a legal system gone mad and a mob killer desperate to cover up his crime. And his only ally is a woman named Reggie Love, who has been a lawyer for all of four years. Prosecutors are willing to break all the rules to make Mark talk. The mob will stop at nothing to keep him quiet. And Reggie will do anything to protect her client—even take a last, desperate gamble that could win Mark his freedom...or cost them both their lives.

I was a lawyer once, and represented people charged with all sorts of crimes. Fortunately, I never had a client convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. I never had to go to death row, never had to do the things the lawyers do in this story.

Since I despise research, I did what I normally do when writing a novel. I found lawyers with expertise, and I befriended them. I called them at all hours and picked their brains. And it is here that I thank them.

Leonard Vincent has been the attorney for the Mississippi Department of Corrections for many years, and he opened his office to me. He helped me with the law, showed me his files, took me to death row, and toured me around the vast state penitentiary known simply as Parchman. He told me many stories that somehow found their way into this one. Leonard and I are still struggling with the moral perplexities of the death penalty, and I suspect we always will. Thanks also to his staff, and to the guards and personnel at Parchman.

It’s summer in Memphis. The sweat is sticking to Rudy Baylor’s shirt and creditors are nipping at his heels. Once he had aspirations of breezing through law school and punching his ticket to the good life. Now he doesn’t have a job or a prayer—except for one: an insurance dispute that leaves a family devastated and opens the door for a lawsuit, if Rudy can find a way to file it.

By the time Rudy gets to court, a heavyweight corporate defense team is there to meet him. And suddenly he’s in over his head, plunged into a nightmare of lies and legal maneuverings. A case that started small is exploding into a thunderous million-dollar war of nerves, skill, and outright violence—a fight that could cost one young lawyer his life, or turn him into the biggest rainmaker in the land.

They are at the center of a multimillion-dollar legal hurricane: twelve men and women who have been investigated, watched, manipulated, and harassed by high-priced lawyers and consultants who will stop at nothing to secure a verdict. Now the jury must make a decision in the most explosive civil trial of the century, a precedent-setting lawsuit against a giant tobacco company. But only a handful of people know the truth: that this jury has a leader, and the verdict belongs to him.

He is known only as Juror #2. But he has a name, a past, and he has planned his every move with the help of a beautiful woman on the outside. Now, while a corporate empire hangs in the balance, while a grieving family waits, and while lawyers are plunged into a battle for their careers, the truth about Juror #2 is about to explode in a cross fire of greed and corruption—and with justice fighting for its life.

Once he was a well-liked, well-paid young partner in a thriving Mississippi law firm. Then Patrick Lanigan stole ninety million dollars from his own firm—and ran for his life. For four years, he evaded men who were rich and powerful, and who would stop at nothing to find him. Then, inevitably, on the edge of the Brazilian jungle, they finally tracked him down.

Now Patrick is coming home. And in the Mississippi city where it all began, an extraordinary trial is about to begin. As prosecutors circle like sharks, as Patrick’s lawyer prepares his defense, as Patrick’s lover prays for his deliverance and his former partners wait for their revenge, another story is about to emerge. Because Patrick Lanigan, the most reviled white-collar criminal of his time, knows something that no one else in the world knows. He knows the truth.

Michael Brock is billing the hours, making the money, rushing relentlessly to the top of Drake & Sweeney, a giant D.C. law firm. One step away from partnership, Michael has it all. Then, in an instant, it all comes undone.

A homeless man takes nine lawyers hostage in the firm’s plush offices. When it is all over, the man’s blood is splattered on Michael’s face—and suddenly Michael is willing to do the unthinkable. Rediscovering a conscience he lost long ago, Michael is leaving the big time for the streets where his attacker once lived—and where society’s powerless need an advocate for justice.

But there’s one break Michael can’t make: from a secret that has floated up from the depths of Drake & Sweeney, from a confidential file that is now in Michael’s hands, and from a conspiracy that has already taken lives. Now Michael’s former partners are about to become his bitter enemies. Because to them, Michael Brock is the most dangerous man on the streets.

In a plush Virginia office, a rich, angry old man is furiously rewriting his will. With his death just hours away, Troy Phelan wants to send a message to his children, his ex-wives, and his minions—a message that will touch off a vicious legal battle and transform dozens of lives. Because Troy Phelan’s new will names a sole surprise heir to his eleven-billion-dollar fortune: a mysterious woman named Rachel Lane, a missionary living deep in the jungles of Brazil.

Enter the lawyers. Nate O’Riley is fresh out of rehab, a disgraced corporate attorney handpicked for his last job: to find Rachel Lane at any cost. As Phelan’s family circles like vultures in D.C., Nate goes crashing through the Brazilian jungle, entering a world where money means nothing, where death is just one misstep away, and where a woman—pursued by enemies and friends alike—holds a stunning surprise of her own.

They call themselves the Brethren: three disgraced former judges doing time in a Florida federal prison. One was sent up for tax evasion. Another, for skimming bingo profits. The third for a career-ending drunken joyride. Meeting daily in the prison law library, taking exercise walks in their boxer shorts, these judges-turned-felons can reminisce about old court cases, dispense a little jailhouse justice, and contemplate where their lives went wrong. Or they can use their time in prison to get very rich—very fast.

And so they sit, sprawled in the prison library, furiously writing letters, fine-tuning a wickedly brilliant extortion scam—while events outside their prison walls begin to erupt. A bizarre presidential election is holding the nation in its grips, and a powerful government figure is pulling some very hidden strings. For the Brethren, the timing couldn’t be better. Because they’ve just found the perfect victim.

Until that September of 1952, Luke Chandler had never kept a secret or told a single lie. But in the long, hot summer of his seventh year, two groups of migrant workers — and two very dangerous men — came through the Arkansas Delta to work the Chandler cotton farm. And suddenly mysteries are flooding Luke’s world.

A brutal murder leaves the town seething in gossip and suspicion. A beautiful young woman ignites forbidden passions. A fatherless baby is born...and someone has begun furtively painting the bare clapboards of the Chandler farmhouse, slowly, painstakingly, bathing the run-down structure in gleaming white. And as young Luke watches the world around him, he unravels secrets that could shatter lives — and change his family and his town forever....

Imagine a year without Christmas. No crowded malls, no corny office parties, no fruitcakes, no unwanted presents. That’s just what Luther and Nora Krank have in mind when they decide that, just this once, they’ll skip the holiday altogether.

Theirs will be the only house on Hemlock Street without a rooftop Frosty, they won’t be hosting their annual Christmas Eve bash, they aren’t even going to have a tree. They won’t need one, because come December 25 they’re setting sail on a Caribbean cruise.

But as this weary couple is about to discover, skipping Christmas brings enormous consequences—and isn’t half as easy as they’d imagined.

A classic tale for modern times, Skipping Christmas offers a hilarious look at the chaos and frenzy that have become part of our holiday tradition.

A pillar of the community who towered over local law and politics for forty years, Judge Atlee is now a shadow of his former self—a sick, lonely old man who has withdrawn to his sprawling ancestral home in Clanton, Mississippi. Knowing that the end is near, Judge Atlee has issued a summons for his two sons to return to Clanton to discuss his estate. Ray Atlee is the elder, a Virginia law professor, newly single, still enduring the aftershocks of a surprise divorce. Forrest is Ray’s younger brother, the family’s black sheep.

The summons is typed by the Judge himself, on his handsome old stationery, and gives the date and time for Ray and Forrest to appear in his study. Ray reluctantly heads south to his hometown, to the place he now prefers to avoid. But the family meeting does not take place. The Judge dies too soon, and in doing so leaves behind a shocking secret known only to Ray...and perhaps to someone else.

The Office of the Public Defender is not known as a training ground for bright young litigators. Clay Carter has been there too long and, like most of his colleagues, dreams of a better job in a real firm. When he reluctantly takes the case of a man charged with a random street killing, he assumes it is just another of the many senseless murders that hit D.C. every week.

As he digs into the background of his client, Clay stumbles on a conspiracy too horrible to believe. He suddenly finds himself in the middle of a complex case against one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world and looking at the kind of enormous settlement that would totally change his life—that would make him, almost overnight, the legal profession’s newest king of torts.

High school all-American Neely Crenshaw was probably the best quarterback ever to play for the legendary Messina Spartans. Fifteen years have gone by since those glory days, and Neely has come home to Messina to bury Coach Eddie Rake, the man who molded the Spartans into an unbeatable football dynasty.

Now, as Coach Rake’s “boys” sit in the bleachers waiting for the dimming field lights to signal his passing, they replay the old games, relive the old glories, and try to decide once and for all whether they love Eddie Rake—or hate him. For Neely Crenshaw, a man who must finally forgive his coach—and himself—before he can get on with life, the stakes are especially high.

In 1970, Willie Traynor comes to Clanton, Mississippi, in a Triumph Spitfire and a fog of vague ambitions. Within a year, the twenty-three-year-old finds himself the owner of Ford County’s only newspaper, famous for its well-crafted obituaries. While the rest of America is in the grips of turmoil, Clanton lives on the edge of another age—until the brutal murder of a young mother rocks the town and thrusts Willie into the center of a storm.

Daring to report the true horrors of the crime, Willie makes as many friends as enemies in Clanton, and over the next decade he sometimes wonders how he got there in the first place. But he can never escape the crime that shattered his innocence or the criminal whose evil left an indelible stain. Because as the ghosts of the South’s past gather around Willie, as tension swirls around Clanton, men and women who served on a jury nine years ago are starting to die one by one—as a killer exacts the ultimate revenge.

In his final hours in office, the outgoing President grants a controversial last-minute pardon to Joel Backman, a notorious Washington power broker who has spent the last six years hidden away in a federal prison. What no one knows is that the President issues the pardon only after receiving enormous pressure from the CIA. It seems that Backman, in his heyday, may have obtained secrets that compromise the world’s most sophisticated satellite surveillance system.

Backman is quietly smuggled out of the country in a military cargo plane, given a new name, a new identity, and a new home in Italy. Eventually, after he has settled into his new life, the CIA will leak his whereabouts to the Israelis, the Russians, the Chinese, and the Saudis. Then the CIA will do what it does best: sit back and watch. The question is not whether Backman will survive—there is no chance of that. The question the CIA needs answered is, Who will kill him?

Rick Dockery is the third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. In the AFC Championship game, to the surprise and dismay of virtually everyone, Rick actually gets into the game. With a seventeen-point lead and just minutes to go, Rick provides what is arguably the worst single performance in the history of the NFL. Overnight, he becomes a national laughingstock—and is immediately cut by the Browns and shunned by all other teams.

But all Rick knows is football, and he insists that his agent find a team that needs him. Against enormous odds, Rick finally gets a job—as the starting quarterback for the Mighty Panthers . . . of Parma, Italy. The Parma Panthers desperately want a former NFL player—any former NFL player—at their helm. And now they’ve got Rick, who knows nothing about Parma (not even where it is) and doesn’t speak a word of Italian. To say that Italy—the land of fine wines, extremely small cars, and football americano—holds a few surprises for Rick Dockery would be something of an understatement.

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.

Kyle McAvoy possesses an outstanding legal mind. Good-looking and affable, he has a glittering future. He also has a dark secret that could destroy his dreams, his career, even his life. One night that secret catches up with him.

The men who accost Kyle have a compromising video they’ll use to ruin him–unless he does exactly what they say. What they offer Kyle is something any ambitious young lawyer would kill for: a job in Manhattan as an associate at the world’s largest law firm. If Kyle accepts, he’ll be on the fast track to partnership and a fortune. But there’s a catch. Kyle won’t be working for the firm but against it in a dispute between two powerful defense contractors worth billions.

Now Kyle is caught between the criminal forces manipulating him, the FBI, and his own law firm–in a malignant conspiracy not even Kyle with all his intellect, cunning, and bravery may be able to escape alive.

An innocent man is about to be executed.

Only a guilty man can save him.  

In 1998, in the small East Texas city of Sloan, Travis Boyette abducted, raped, and strangled a popular high school cheerleader. He buried her body so that it would never be found, then watched in amazement as police and prosecutors arrested and convicted Donté Drumm, a local football star, and marched him off to death row.

Now nine years have passed. Travis has just been paroled in Kansas for a different crime; Donté is four days away from his execution. Travis suffers from an inoperable brain tumor. For the first time in his miserable life, he decides to do what’s right and confess. But how can a guilty man convince lawyers, judges, and politicians that they’re about to execute an innocent man?

The partners at Finley & Figg often refer to themselves as a “boutique law firm.” Boutique, as in chic, selective, and prosperous. Oscar Finley and Wally Figg are none of these things. They are a two-bit operation of ambulance chasers who bicker like an old married couple. Until change comes their way—or, more accurately, stumbles in. After leaving a fast-track career and going on a serious bender, David Zinc is sober, unemployed, and desperate enough to take a job at Finley & Figg.

Now the firm is ready to tackle a case that could make the partners rich—without requiring them to actually practice much law. A class action suit has been brought against Varrick Labs, a pharmaceutical giant with annual sales of $25 billion, alleging that Krayoxx, its most popular drug, causes heart attacks. Wally smells money. All Finley & Figg has to do is find a handful of Krayoxx users to join the suit. It almost seems too good to be true...and it is.

It’s the summer of 1973, and Joe Castle is the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone has ever seen. The kid from Calico Rock, Arkansas, dazzles Chicago Cubs fans as he hits home run after home run, politely tipping his hat to the crowd as he shatters all rookie records. Calico Joe quickly becomes the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard-partying and hard-throwing New York Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracey finally faces Calico Joe, Paul is in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his dad. Then Warren throws a fastball that will change their lives forever.

In the history of the United States, only four active federal judges have been murdered. Judge Raymond Fawcett has just become number five. His body is found in his remote lakeside cabin. There is no sign of forced entry or struggle. Just two dead bodies: Judge Fawcett and his young secretary. And one large, state-of-the-art, extremely secure safe, opened and emptied.

One man, a former attorney, knows who killed Judge Fawcett, and why. But that man, Malcolm Bannister, is currently residing in the Federal Prison Camp near Frostburg, Maryland. Though serving time, Malcolm has an ace up his sleeve. He has information the FBI would love to know. Malcolm would love to tell them. But everything has a price—and the man known as the Racketeer wasn’t born yesterday.

The year is 2008 and Samantha Kofer’s career at a huge Wall Street law firm is on the fast track—until the recession hits and she is downsized, furloughed, and escorted out of the building. Samantha, though, is offered an opportunity to work at a legal aid clinic for one year without pay, all for a slim chance of getting rehired.

In a matter of days Samantha moves from Manhattan to Brady, Virginia, population 2,200, in the heart of Appalachia, a part of the world she has only read about. Samantha’s new job takes her into the murky and dangerous world of coal mining, where laws are often broken, communities are divided, and the land itself is under attack. But some of the locals aren’t so thrilled to have a big-city lawyer in town, and within weeks Samantha is engulfed in litigation that turns deadly. Because like most small towns, Brady harbors big secrets that some will kill to conceal.

On the right side of the law—sort of—Sebastian Rudd is not your typical street lawyer. His office is a customized bulletproof van, complete with Wi-Fi, a bar, a small fridge, and fine leather chairs. He has no firm, no partners, and only one employee: his heavily armed driver, who also so happens to be his bodyguard, law clerk, confidant, and golf caddie. Sebastian drinks small-batch bourbon and carries a gun. He defends people other lawyers won’t go near: a drug-addled, tattooed kid rumored to be in a satanic cult; a vicious crime lord on death row; a homeowner arrested for shooting at a SWAT team that mistakenly invaded his house. Why these clients? Because Sebastian believes everyone is entitled to a fair trial—even if he has to bend the law to secure one.

Mark, Todd, and Zola came to law school to change the world, to make it a better place. But now, as third-year students, these close friends realize they have been duped. They all borrowed heavily to attend a third-tier for-profit law school so mediocre that its graduates rarely pass the bar exam, let alone get good jobs. And when they learn that their school is one of a chain owned by a shady New York hedge-fund operator who also happens to own a bank specializing in student loans, the three know they have been caught up in The Great Law School Scam.

But maybe there’s a way out. Maybe there’s a way to escape their crushing debt, expose the bank and the scam, and make a few bucks in the process. But to do so, they would first have to quit school. And leaving law school a few short months before graduation would be completely crazy, right? Well, yes and no...

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.

In a major novel unlike anything he has written before, John Grisham takes us on an incredible journey, from the Jim Crow South to the jungles of the Philippines during World War II; from an insane asylum filled with secrets to the Clanton courtroom where Pete’s defense attorney tries desperately to save him.

In the small Florida town of Seabrook, a young lawyer named Keith Russo was shot dead at his desk as he worked late one night. The killer left no clues. There were no witnesses, no one with a motive. But the police soon came to suspect Quincy Miller, a young black man who was once a client of Russo’s.

Quincy was tried, convicted, and sent to prison for life. For twenty-two years he languished in prison, maintaining his innocence. But no one was listening. He had no lawyer, no advocate on the outside. In desperation, he writes a letter to Guardian Ministries, a small nonprofit run by Cullen Post, a lawyer who is also an Episcopal minister.

Guardian accepts only a few innocence cases at a time. Cullen Post travels the country fighting wrongful convictions and taking on clients forgotten by the system. With Quincy Miller, though, he gets far more than he bargained for. Powerful, ruthless people murdered Keith Russo, and they do not want Quincy Miller exonerated.

They killed one lawyer twenty-two years ago, and they will kill another without a second thought.

In the summer of his seventeenth year, Sam­uel Sooleymon gets the chance of a lifetime: a trip to the United States with his South Sudanese teammates to play in a showcase basket­ball tournament. He has never been away from home, nor has he ever been on an airplane. The opportunity to be scouted by dozens of college coaches is a dream come true.

Samuel is an amazing athlete, with speed, quick­ness, and an astonishing vertical leap. The rest of his game, though, needs work, and the American coaches are less than impressed.

During the tournament, Samuel receives dev­astating news from home: A civil war is raging across South Sudan, and rebel troops have ran­sacked his village. His father is dead, his sister is missing, and his mother and two younger brothers are in a refugee camp.

Samuel desperately wants to go home, but it’s just not possible. Partly out of sympathy, the coach of North Carolina Central offers him a scholar­ship. Samuel moves to Durham, enrolls in classes, joins the team, and prepares to sit out his freshman season. There is plenty of more mature talent and he isn’t immediately needed.

But Samuel has something no other player has: a fierce determination to succeed so he can bring his family to America. He works tirelessly on his game, shooting baskets every morning at dawn by himself in the gym, and soon he’s dominating everyone in practice. With the Central team los­ing and suffering injury after injury, Sooley, as he is nicknamed, is called off the bench. And the legend begins.

But how far can Sooley take his team? And will success allow him to save his family?

Two sons of immigrant families grow up as friends, only to ultimately find themselves on opposite sides of the law.

For most of the last hundred years, Biloxi was known for its beaches, resorts, and seafood industry. But it had a darker side. It was also notorious for corruption and vice, everything from gambling, prostitution, bootleg liquor, and drugs to contract killings. The vice was controlled by small cabal of mobsters, many of them rumored to be members of the Dixie Mafia.

Keith Rudy and Hugh Malco grew up in Biloxi in the sixties and were childhood friends, as well as Little League all-stars. But as teenagers, their lives took them in different directions. Keith’s father became a legendary prosecutor, determined to “clean up the Coast.” Hugh’s father became the “Boss” of Biloxi’s criminal underground. 

Keith went to law school and followed in his father’s footsteps. Hugh preferred the nightlife and worked in his father’s clubs. The two families were headed for a showdown, one that would happen in a courtroom.

A gang of thieves stage a daring heist from a vault deep below Princeton University’s Firestone Library. Their loot is priceless, impossible to resist.

Bruce Cable owns a popular bookstore in the sleepy resort town of Santa Rosa on Camino Island in Florida. He makes his real money, though, as a prominent dealer in rare books. Very few people know that he occasionally dabbles in unsavory ventures.

Mercer Mann is a young novelist with a severe case of writer’s block who has recently been laid off from her teaching position. She is approached by an elegant, mysterious woman working for an even more mysterious company. A generous monetary offer convinces Mercer to go undercover and infiltrate Cable’s circle of literary friends, to get close to the ringleader, to discover his secrets.

But soon Mercer learns far too much, and there’s trouble in paradise—as only John Grisham can deliver it.

Just as Bruce Cable’s Bay Books is preparing for the return of bestselling author Mercer Mann, Hurricane Leo veers from its predicted course and heads straight for Camino Island. Florida’s governor orders a mandatory evacuation, and most residents board up their houses and flee to the mainland, but Bruce decides to stay and ride out the storm.

The hurricane is devastating: Homes and condos are leveled, hotels and storefronts ruined, streets flooded—and a dozen people lose their lives. One of the apparent victims is Nelson Kerr, a friend of Bruce’s and an author of thrillers. But the nature of Nelson’s injuries suggests that the storm wasn’t the cause of his death: He has suffered several suspicious blows to the head.

Who would want Nelson dead? The local police are overwhelmed in the aftermath of the storm and ill-equipped to handle the case. Bruce begins to wonder if the shady characters in Nelson’s novels might be more real than fictional. And somewhere on Nelson’s computer is the manuscript of his new book. Could the key to the case be right there—in black and white? As Bruce starts to investigate, what he discovers between the lines is more shocking than any of Nelson’s plot twists—and far more dangerous.

Ford County. The heart of the American deep South. A place of harsh beauty, of broken dreams and final wishes.

From legendary legal thriller author John Grisham comes a unique collection of stories connected by the life and crimes of Ford County.

From a hard-drinking, downtrodden divorce lawyer looking for pay-dirt, to a manipulative death row inmate with one last plea, Ford County features a vivid cast of attorneys, crooks, hustlers, and convicts. From their stories emerges a rich picture of lives lived and lost in Mississippi.

Completely gripping, frequently moving and always entertaining, Ford County brims with the same page-turning quality and heart-stopping drama of his previous bestsellers.

“Homecoming” takes us back to Ford County, the fictional setting of many of John Grisham’s unforgettable stories. Jake Brigance is back, but he’s not in the courtroom. He’s called upon to help an old friend, Mack Stafford, a former lawyer in Clanton, who three years earlier became a local legend when he stole money from his clients, divorced his wife, filed for bankruptcy, and left his family in the middle of the night, never to be heard from again—until now. Now Mack is back, and he’s leaning on his old pals, Jake and Harry Rex, to help him return. His homecoming does not go as planned.

In “Strawberry Moon,” we meet Cody Wallace, a young death row inmate only three hours away from execution. His lawyers can’t save him, the courts slam the door, and the governor says no to a last-minute request for clemency. As the clock winds down, Cody has one final request.

The “Sparring Partners” are the Malloy brothers, Kirk and Rusty, two successful young lawyers who inherited a once prosperous firm when its founder, their father, was sent to prison. Kirk and Rusty loathe each other, and speak to each other only when necessary. As the firm disintegrates, the resulting fiasco falls into the lap of Diantha Bradshaw, the only person the partners trust. Can she save the Malloys, or does she take a stand for the first time in her career and try to save herself?

By turns suspenseful, hilarious, powerful, and moving, these are three of the greatest stories John Grisham has ever told.

When Carl Lee Hailey guns down the violent racists who raped his ten-year-old daughter, the people of the small town of Clanton, Mississippi see it as justice done, and call for his acquittal.

But when extremists outside Clanton - including the KKK - hear that a black man has killed two white men, they invade the town, determined to destroy anything and anyone that opposes their sense of justice. A national media circus descends on Clanton.

As tensions mount, Hailey hires the inexperienced Jake Brigance to defend him. It's the kind of case that could make a young lawyer's career.

But it's also the kind of case that could get a young lawyer killed.

Seth Hubbard is a wealthy white man dying of lung cancer. He trusts no one. Before he hangs himself from a sycamore tree, Hubbard leaves a new, handwritten will. It is an act that drags his adult children, his black maid, and defense attorney Jake Brigance into a conflict as riveting and dramatic as the murder trial that made Brigance one of Ford County’s most notorious citizens, just three years earlier.

The second will raises many more questions than it answers. Why would Hubbard leave nearly all of his fortune to his maid? Had chemotherapy and painkillers affected his ability to think clearly? And what does it all have to do with a piece of land once known as Sycamore Row?

Clanton, Mississippi. 1990. Jake Brigance finds himself embroiled in a deeply divisive trial when the court appoints him attorney for Drew Gamble, a timid sixteen-year-old boy accused of murdering a local deputy. Many in Clanton want a swift trial and the death penalty, but Brigance digs in and discovers that there is more to the story than meets the eye. Jake’s fierce commitment to saving Drew from the gas chamber puts his career, his financial security, and the safety of his family on the line.

In what may be the most personal and accomplished legal thriller of John Grisham’s storied career, we deepen our acquaintance with the iconic Southern town of Clanton and the vivid cast of characters that so many readers know and cherish. The result is a richly rewarding novel that is both timely and timeless, full of wit, drama, and—most of all—heart.

We expect our judges to be honest and wise. Their integrity is the bedrock of the entire judicial system. We trust them to ensure fair trials, to protect the rights of all litigants, to punish those who do wrong, and to oversee the flow of justice. But what happens when a judge bends the law or takes a bribe?

Lacy Stoltz is an investigator for the Florida Board on Judicial Conduct. It is her job to respond to complaints dealing with judicial misconduct. After nine years with the Board, she knows that most problems are caused by incompetence, not corruption.

But a corruption case eventually crosses her desk. A previously disbarred lawyer is back in business, and he claims to know of a Florida judge who has stolen more money than all other crooked judges combined. And not just crooked judges in Florida. All judges, from all states, and throughout United States history. And now he wants to put a stop to it. His only client is a person who knows the truth and wants to blow the whistle and collect millions under Florida law. When the case is assigned to Lacy, she immediately suspects that this one could be dangerous. Dangerous is one thing. Deadly is something else.

In The Whistler , Lacy Stoltz investigated a corrupt judge who was taking millions in bribes from a crime syndicate. She put the criminals away, but only after being attacked and nearly killed. Three years later, and approaching forty, she is tired of her work for the Florida Board on Judicial Conduct and ready for a change.

Then she meets a mysterious woman who is so frightened she uses a number of aliases. Jeri Crosby’s father was murdered twenty years earlier in a case that remains unsolved and that has grown stone cold. But Jeri has a suspect whom she has become obsessed with and has stalked for two decades. Along the way, she has discovered other victims.

Suspicions are easy enough, but proof seems impossible. The man is brilliant, patient, and always one step ahead of law enforcement. He is the most cunning of all serial killers. He knows forensics, police procedure, and most important: he knows the law.

He is a judge, in Florida—under Lacy’s jurisdiction.

He has a list, with the names of his victims and targets, all unsuspecting people unlucky enough to have crossed his path and wronged him in some way. How can Lacy pursue him, without becoming the next name on his list?

On February 2, 2002, Stephen King, Pat Conroy, John Grisham and Peter Straub gathered at New York's Town Hall for a very special evening. These four bestselling authors stepped up to the microphone to raise money for one of the most recognizable voices in audiobooks, Frank Muller, an actor who sustained terrible injuries from a motorcycle accident. Muller, who has recorded hundreds of novels, including many by these authors, may never work again.

This once-in-a-lifetime event is captured here, and 100% of all profits will be donated to The Wavedancer Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports Frank Muller and other artists who fall prey to illness or injury and can no longer perform.

Grisham kicks off the evening with a heartfelt reading of an excerpt from his blockbuster bestseller The Summons. He's followed by Straub who captivates the audience with a hair-raising episode from Black House, the latest thriller he co-authored with Stephen King. King changes pace with a joyful reading of his classic short story The Revenge of Lardass Hogan. Finally, Conroy engages the audience in a hilarious chat on the art of writing.

A unique program that pays tribute to a true master craftsman, this audiobook is an unforgettable listening experience.

In the town of Ada, Oklahoma, Ron Williamson was going to be the next Mickey Mantle. But on his way to the Big Leagues, Ron stumbled, his dreams broken by drinking, drugs, and women. Then, on a winter night in 1982, not far from Ron’s home, a young cocktail waitress named Debra Sue Carter was savagely murdered. The investigation led nowhere. Until, on the flimsiest evidence, it led to Ron Williamson. The washed-up small-town hero was charged, tried, and sentenced to death—in a trial littered with lying witnesses and tainted evidence that would shatter a man’s already broken life, and let a true killer go free.

Favorite authors discuss the day jobs they left behind. These authors tell good tales.

Contributory autobiographical essays by: John Grisham, Pat Conroy, Howard Bahr, Rick Bragg, Larry Brown, Connie May Fowler, Tom Franklin, Tim Gautreaux, William Gay, Winston Groom, Silas House, Suzanne Hudson, Joshilyn Jackson, Barb Johnson, Cassandra King, Janis Owens, Michelle Richmond, Clay Risen, George Singleton, Matthew Teague, Daniel Wallace, Brad Watson, Steve Yarbrough and Sonny Brewer.

Wheelchair-bound Inez Graney and her two older sons, Leon and Butch, take a bizarre road trip through the Mississippi Delta to visit the youngest Graney brother, Raymond, who’s been locked away on death row for eleven years . . . and it could well be their last visit. Going back to Ford County, Mississippi, the setting of his first novel, A Time to Kill, Grisham brings the Graneys and their world to vivid and colorful life, making it abundantly clear why he is our most popular storyteller.

John Grisham says THE TUMOR is the most important book he has ever written. In this short book, he provides readers with a fictional account of how a real, new medical technology could revolutionize the future of medicine by curing with sound.

THE TUMOR follows the present day experience of the fictional patient Paul, an otherwise healthy 35-year-old father who is diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Grisham takes readers through a detailed account of Paul’s treatment and his family’s experience that doesn’t end as we would hope. Grisham then explores an alternate future, where Paul is diagnosed with the same brain tumor at the same age, but in the year 2025, when a treatment called focused ultrasound is able to extend his life expectancy.

Focused ultrasound has the potential to treat not just brain tumors, but many other disorders, including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, hypertension, and prostate, breast and pancreatic cancer.

For more information, you can visit The Focused Ultrasound Foundation’s website. Here you will find a video of Grisham on the TEDx stage with the Foundation’s chairman and a Parkinson’s patient who brings the audience to its feet sharing her incredible story of a focused ultrasound “miracle.”

Sebastian Rudd, rogue lawyer, defends people other lawyers won't go near. It's controversial and dangerous work, which is why Sebastian needs his bodyguard/assistant/sidekick: Partner. So if Sebastian is just about the most unpopular lawyer in town, why is Partner so loyal to him? How did they meet? And what's the real story of this man of few words who's as good with a gun as he is with the law? The surprising answers are all in PARTNERS , John Grisham's first exclusively digital short story.

A judge’s first murder trial.

A defense attorney in over his head.

A prosecutor out for blood and glory.

The accused, who is possibly innocent.

And the killer, who may have just committed the perfect crime.

NB: This is a A Short Story Prequel to The Whistler.

When Carl Lee Hailey guns down the hoodlums who have raped his ten-year-old child, the people of Clanton see it as a crime of blood and call for his acquittal. But when extremists outside Clanton hear that a black man has killed two white men, they invade the town, determined to destroy anything and anyone that opposes their sense of justice. Jake Brigance has been hired to defend Hailey. It's the kind of case that can make or break a young lawyer. But in the maelstrom of Clanton, it is also the kind of case that could get a young lawyer killed.

When Mitch McDeere signed on with Bendini, Lambert & Locke of Memphis, he thought that he and his beautiful wife, Abby, were on their way. The firm leased him a BMW, paid off his school loans, arranged a mortgage, and hired the McDeeres a decorator. Mitch should have remembered what his brother Ray—doing fifteen years in a Tennessee jail—already knew: You never get nothing for nothing. Now the FBI has the lowdown on Mitch’s firm and needs his help. Mitch is caught between a rock and a hard place, with no choice—if he wants to live. 

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. The chemical company is owned by a Wall Street predator named Carl Trudeau, and Mr. Trudeau is convinced the Court is not friendly enough to his interests. 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.

THE CHAMBER 

In Chicago’s top law firm, a young lawyer stands on the brink of a brilliant career. Now twenty-six-year-old Adam Hall is risking it all for a death-row killer and an impossible case: Sam Cayhall is a former Klansman and unrepentant racist facing the death penalty for a fatal bombing in 1967. Cayhall has run out of chances—except for one: a determined lawyer who just happens to be his grandson. While the executioners prepare the gas chamber, while the protesters gather, and while the TV cameras wait, Adam has only days, hours, minutes to save his client.

A perfect murder

A faceless witness

A lone courtroom champion knows the whole truth . . . and he’s only thirteen years old.

Meet Theodore Boone.

In the small city of Strattenburg, there are many lawyers, and though he’s only thirteen years old, Theo Boone thinks he’s one of them. Theo knows every judge, policeman, court clerk—and a lot about the law. He dreams of being a great trial lawyer, of a life in the courtroom.

But Theo finds himself in court much sooner than expected. Because he knows so much—maybe too much—he is suddenly dragged into the middle of a sensational murder trial. A cold-blooded killer is about to go free, and only Theo knows the truth.

The stakes are high, but Theo won’t stop until justice is served.

When we last saw Theo Boone, he ensured that justice was served by uncovering evidence that kept a guilty man off of the streets. Hot off this high-profile murder trial, thirteen-year-old Theo is still dispensing legal advice to friends and teachers. But just when it seems as if his life has calmed down and gone back to the status quo, a new legal mystery comes to town, and this time it's personal.

Big trouble is brewing for Theodore Boone. While all of Streenburg anxiously awaits the new trial of infamous murder suspect Pete Duffy, problems arise for their own kid lawyer. There's been a robbery and Theo is the accused. His reputation is on the line, and with the evidence building against him--and dangerous threats looming--Theo will do whatever it takes to prove his innocence--even if it means breaking a few rules.

Theodore Boone is back in action! As all of Strattenburg sits divided over a hot political and environmental issue, Theo finds himself right in the thick of it. The county commission is fighting hard to change the landscape of the town, and Theo is strongly opposed to the plans. But when he uncovers corruption beneath the surface, no one—not even Theo—is prepared for the risks—and potential harm—at stake. Torn between his conscience and the law, Theo will do whatever it takes to stand up for what is right.

Theo Boone thought the danger had passed, but he's about to face off against an old adversary: accused murderer and fugitive Pete Duffy. On a field trip to Washington, DC, Theo spots a familiar face on the Metro: Duffy, who jumped bail and was never seen again. Theo's quick thinking helps bring Duffy back to Strattenburg to stand trial.

But now that Duffy knows who he is, Theo is in greater danger than he's ever been in before. Even when everything is on the line, Theodore Boone will stop at nothing to make sure a killer is brought to justice.

Thirteen-year-old Theodore Boone knows every judge, police officer, and court clerk in Strattenburg. He has even helped bring a fugitive to justice. But even a future star lawyer like Theo has to deal with statewide standardized testing.

When an anonymous tip leads the school board to investigate a suspicious increase in scores at another local middle school, Theo finds himself thrust in the middle of a cheating scandal. With insider knowledge and his future on the line, Theo must follow his keen instincts to do what’s right in the newest case for clever kid lawyer Theo Boone.  

Woody Lambert is in trouble. He comes from a broken family, suffers bad grades at school and his older brother, Tony, is on probation for a drug offence. When Woody inadvertently gets caught up with Tony and one of his friends, Garth, cruising around Strattenburg in a beaten-up Mustang drinking beer, one thing leads to another and Garth holds up a convenience store with a fake gun.

Though he had no involvement in the crime other than being in Garth's car, Woody is arrested as an accomplice. He's going to need serious legal advice to avoid juvenile prison.

Enter Theodore Boone: after all, Theo has already decided that he will become the best courtroom lawyer in the state. It's just that, at the age of thirteen, Theo is years from being a qualified lawyer - and Woody needs help right now . . .

Popular Authors

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Printable List Of John Grisham Books In Chronological Order

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Table of Contents

John Grisham Book Checklist PDF

Below is a John Grisham book list in printable checklist sized 8.5″ x 11″.

What if you want your own customized checklist?

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John Grisham Books In Order Printable List PDF

John grisham books in order(by series), jake brigance books in order.

• A Time to Kill  (1989)
• Sycamore Row  (2013)
• A Time For Mercy  (2020)
• Sparring Partners (2024)

Mitch McDeere Books In Order

• The Firm  (1991)
• The Exchange: After The Firm (2024)

Theodore Boone Books In Order

• Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer  (2010)
• Theodore Boone: The Abduction  (2011)
• Theodore Boone: The Accused  (2012)
• Theodore Boone: The Activist  (2013)
• Theodore Boone: The Fugitive  (2015)
• Theodore Boone: The Scandal  (2016)
• Theodore Boone: The Accomplice  (2019)

Camino Island Books In Order

• Camino Island  (2017)
• Camino Winds  (2020)

Rogue Lawyer Books In Order

• Rogue Lawyer  (2015)
• Partners  (2016)

The Whistler Books In Order

• Witness to a Trial  (2016)
• The Whistler  (2016)
• The Judge’s List  (2021)

Standalone Novels

• The Pelican Brief  (1992)
• The Client  (1993)
• The Chamber  (1994)
• The Rainmaker  (1995)
• The Runaway Jury  (1996)
• The Partner  (1997)
• The Street Lawyer  (1998)
• The Testament  (1999)
• The Brethren  (2000)
• A Painted House (2001)
• Skipping Christmas (2001)
• The Summons  (2002)
• The King of Torts  (2003)
• Bleachers (2003)
• The Last Juror  (2004)
• The Broker  (2005)
• Playing for Pizza (2007)
• The Appeal  (2008)
• The Associate  (2009)
• The Confession (2010)
• The Litigators  (2011)
• Calico Joe (2012)
• The Racketeer  (2012)
• Gray Mountain  (2014)
• The Rooster Bar  (2018)
• The Reckoning  (2019)
• The Guardians  (2019)
• Sooley  (2021)
• The Boys From Biloxi  (2024)

Short Stories In Order

• Fetching Raymond(2011)
• Casino(2011)
• Fish Files(2011)
• Quiet Haven(2011)
• The Tumor(2015)

Short Story Collections

• Ford County(2008)
• Sparring Partners(2024)

Non-Fiction Books In Order

• The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town(2006)

Anthologies

• The Wavedancer Benefit: A Tribute to Frank Muller(2002)
• Delta Blues(2009)
• Don’t Quit Your Day Job: Acclaimed Authors and the Day Jobs They Quit(2010)
• Fourteen Days: An Unauthorized Gathering(2024)

All John Grisham Books In Order Printable List

All john grisham books in order.

• A Time to Kill , 1989
• The Pelican Brief , 1992
• The Client , 1993
• The Chamber , 1994
• The Rainmaker , 1995
• The Runaway Jury , 1996
• The Partner , 1997
• The Street Lawyer , 1998
• The Testament , 1999
• The Brethren , 2000
• A Painted House , 2001
• Skipping Christmas , 2001
• The Summons , 2002
• The King of Torts , 2003
• Bleachers , 2003
• The Last Juror , 2004
• The Broker , 2005
• The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town , 2006
• Playing for Pizza , 2007
• The Appeal , 2008
• The Associate , 2009
• Ford County , 2009
• Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer , 2010
• The Confession , 2010
• Theodore Boone: The Abduction , 2011
• The Litigators , 2011
• Theodore Boone: The Accused , 2012
• Calico Joe , 2012
• The Racketeer , 2012
• Theodore Boone: The Activist , 2013
• Sycamore Row , 2013
• Gray Mountain , 2014
• Theodore Boone: The Fugitive , 2015
• Rogue Lawyer , 2015
• Partners, a Rogue Lawyer short story , 2016
• Theodore Boone: The Scandal , 2016
• The Whistler , 2016
• The Tumor , 2016
• Camino Island , 2017
• The Rooster Bar , 2017
• The Reckoning , 2018
• The Guardians , 2019
• Theodore Boone: The Accomplice , 2019
• Camino Winds , 2020
• A Time for Mercy , 2020
• Sooley , 2021
• The Judge’s List , 2021
• The Boys from Biloxi , 2024
• Sparring Partners , 2024
• The Exchange , 2024
• Fourteen Days , 2024

9 Best John Grisham Books To Read

The Partner

The Testament

A Time to Kill

The Rainmaker

The Guardians

Rogue Lawyer

The Summons

Camino Island

About John Grisham

John Ray Grisham Jr. is a highly accomplished American novelist, lawyer, and former Mississippi House of Representatives member. He is celebrated for his gripping legal thrillers, which have consistently topped bestseller lists. Grisham’s remarkable career includes the authorship of 37 consecutive number-one fiction bestsellers, with over 300 million copies of his books sold worldwide.

Born on February 8, 1955, in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Grisham grew up in Southaven, Mississippi. Despite initially aspiring to be a baseball player, he shifted his focus to academics. Grisham’s mother played a crucial role in nurturing his love for reading and encouraging his pursuit of higher education.

After working various jobs during his youth, including a stint on a highway asphalt crew, Grisham eventually attended Mississippi State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting. He later obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981.

Grisham practiced law for nearly a decade and served as a Democrat in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1983 to 1990. It was during this time that he authored his first novel, “A Time to Kill,” which struggled to find a publisher but eventually marked the beginning of his literary career.

“The Firm,” Grisham’s second novel, catapulted him to stardom. It remained on The New York Times Best Seller list for 47 weeks and became the seventh bestselling novel of 1991. This success sparked a prolific writing career, with Grisham producing a legal thriller annually.

Many of Grisham’s novels are set in the fictional town of Clanton, Mississippi, known for its deep-seated racial divisions. His notable works include “A Time for Mercy,” “The Summons,” and “The Chamber.”

Aside from his legal thrillers, Grisham has delved into sports and comedy fiction. He also ventured into children’s literature with “Theodore Boone,” a series about a young legal prodigy.

Grisham is a dedicated advocate against capital punishment, and he serves on the board of directors for the Innocence Project, which fights for the exoneration of wrongfully convicted individuals through DNA evidence.

His literary contributions, legal background, and commitment to social issues have solidified John Grisham’s status as a literary luminary with a lasting impact on both the legal and literary worlds.

FAQ – John Grisham Books In Order

Q: What are John Grisham’s most famous books? A: Some of his most famous books include “A Time to Kill,” “The Firm,” “The Pelican Brief,” “The Client,” and “The Runaway Jury.”

Q: Has John Grisham’s work been adapted into movies or TV shows? A: Yes, many of Grisham’s novels have been adapted into films and TV series, including “The Firm,” “A Time to Kill,” “The Pelican Brief,” and more.

Q: What inspired John Grisham to become a writer? A: Grisham was inspired to write after hearing a 12-year-old girl’s testimony in court. Her emotional story moved him and planted the seed for his first novel, “A Time to Kill.”

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John Grisham Books In Order

Publication order of jake brigance books, publication order of mitch mcdeere books, publication order of theodore boone books, publication order of camino island books, publication order of rogue lawyer books, publication order of the whistler books, publication order of standalone novels, publication order of short stories/novellas, publication order of short story collections, publication order of non-fiction books, publication order of anthologies, john grisham biography:.

The American south has long been a point of interest to historians as it was the place where slavery once boomed and racisim ran rampant. Although the land has been a place of much turmoil, some positive things have arisen for it, as it was in Jonesboro, Arkansas that John Grisham was born. He arrived in the world on February 8, 1955, when cotton was still a major product of the south. His father happened to be a cotton farmer at the time.

However, the family began to move around to different areas, still south of the Mason-Dixon Line, while Grisham was in his youth. They settled down again in Southaven, Mississippi and that is where the young John Grisham became determined to be a baseball player for his profession. However, his mother had different aspirations for her son and began grooming him for college, although she herself had never received a formal education.

Her efforts did prove fruitful, as John Grisham successfully attended and graduated from Mississippi State University and later law school, graduating from Ole Miss. After having childhood desire to become a MLB player, settling on a legal career was not a simple thing for John Grisham. He had changed majors three times while in college and switched jobs several times during his teenage and young adult years.

As a lawyer, Grisham also made changes, switching from being a tax lawyer to trial lawyer, stating a dislike for the burdensome “complexity and lunacy” tax lawyers often face. His career as a trial lawyer was never fated to last long as well. Having graduated from law school in 1983, Grisham was elected to his state’s House of Representatives that same year, serving the Democratic Party until 1990. His legal practice lasted a decade.

While hanging around the courts in 1984, Grisham met a young girl with an intriguing story to tell about a case in which she was involved. The things she told him about her life touched him so much that he began to write his first novel based on her story. It was published in 1989 and is called Time to Kill. As a new author, Grisham had difficulty finding a publisher for his first book. He finally found one that was willing to let him have a printing of 5,000 copies.

The day after his first novel was released, Grisham went straight back to writing, working on his second novel, without waiting to find out if he would be a success. His confidence apparently was well-founded because his second novel, The Firm, stayed on the Best Seller List for New York Times an impressive 47 weeks after its release and was the top selling novel for 1991. It was at that time that Grisham decided to leave legal practice and become a full time writer.

Throughout his writing career, John Grisham has seen many successes, starting with his very first book and continuing through each subsequent novel. He is the author behind many well-recognized titles, including The Pelican Brief, as well as The Rainmaker, The Racketeer, A Painted House, amongst several others.

For his great writing, Grisham has been honored with several awards, including the Distinguished Author Award named after Peggy V. Helmerich, the Galaxy British Book lifetime achievement award, the legal fiction award from Harper Lee, and the USC Scripter award. Nevertheless, Grisham’s writing has not solely focused on crafting novels for adult audiences. He has also written a series of legal thrillers geared at children and pre-teens.

Inside John Grisham Novels:

Two of the books Grisham is most well-known for also happen to be the very first two novels he ever released; The Firm and Time to Kill. The Firm, released in 1991, has sold more than seven million copies. It is the second novel that he wrote and is the gripping tale about a young man named Mitchell V. McDeere who, fresh out of law school, decides to work at a Memphis law firm, appeased by their generous offer of a high salary, new BMW, and nice house with low interest mortgage.

Soon after he arrives, two of his collogues at the firm die in a mysterious accident. During their memorial service, Mitch learns that there have been others who worked at the firm and mysteriously died. The information causes him to be very suspicious. His intuition is later validated when he gets approached by the FBI who wants his help in gathering evidence against those at the law firm, revealing the fact that they are actually involved in organized crime.

Grisham’s first novel, Time to Kill was the one based off his chance meeting with a young girl as he hung around the courts one day. The story is about a ten-year-old girl in the south who happens to be African American and gets raped by two racist white men. The girl’s father finds out the story of the attack on his daughter and realizes that a similar incident happened a while back.

In an effort to protect others from the same harm, he kills the two white men and is later arrested. He then calls his friend Jake to help, but the case is made more complicated by the KKK seeking revenge for the death of the two men. They start riots outside the courtroom, kill the frail husband of Jake’s assistant, wire Jake’s car with a bomb, and eventually burn his house down.

The Transformation of John Grisham Books Into Movies:

Grisham has experienced much success with the silver screen. More than eight of the novels he has written have been adapted into films and performed well at the box office. This includes The Firm, which became a film in 1993, and was later made into a TV series.

The movie starred Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman, Holly Hunter, and Jeanne Tripplehorn. Time to Kill hit box offices in 1996 and starred Samuel L. Jackson, Sandra Bullock, Matthew McConaughey, Ashley Judd, and several other stars. Other novels written by Grisham that have become movies include, The Client in 1994, The Chamber in 1996, The Rainmaker in 1997, Mickey in 2004, and several others.

46 Responses to “John Grisham”

Love all of Grisham’s books, I’mfrom the South, LelandMs & Greenville Ms:and just moved to Cleveland Al, I love the way he talked about the South. Sports books are my favorite. The Chamber, is really close to where I did lived in Mississippi. Looking forward to reading his new book, can’t wait. i was a coach and teacher, now retired, only had time to read in the summer. Thank you for bringing back so many memories.

We absolutely love reading John Grisham’s books. We currently own 38 of them and find ourselves reading them over and over. John Grisham got us through COVID because we were unable to check out library books at that time.Reading them has also changed our opinion of the death penalty. We no longer believe in it. Thanks, John, for helping us see the light.

“The only problem with the death penalty, Ro-ark, is that we don’t use it enough” -Jake Brigance

If we used the death penalty more then the many accused, who were released after years in jail due to new DNA test proof of their innocence, would now be dead. Imagine if that was one of your family members Jake.

Read most of Mr Grisham’s books. My absolute favorite is the Painted White House. Love all of them.

The first book in John Grisham’s Theodore Boone Series appears to have at least three titles. 1. Theodore Boone, 2. Theodore Boone Kid Lawyer, 3. Theodore Boone Young Lawyer.

Thanks I’ll update it to reflect the Young Lawyer title.

Just finished The Boys from Biloxi excellent read would make a good TV series

You list Homecoming, but it is nowhere to be found. Please explain.

It’s found in the collection Sparring Partners . The Amazon link should lead to that.

Hey there. It says 2024. Be patient for it. Its coming home soon. lol

I have been reading Mr. Grisham for a long time….got us thru the COVID situation…kept my sanity. However, I have lost my list of books by ‘group’ and cannot seem to find any way to reprint it! What an amazing talent you have…don’t ever stop writing!

would be very helpful! Thank you

Have 48 hardbacks so not missing many ! Somehow have lost 2/3 dust covers and would like to buy them…plan to leave all the books to a chosen family member (children or grandchildren)!

Jeff, I have several dust covers that I can send you, mostly newer titles. Reply to my email and I will send a list of the covers I have. We can arrange transfer. No charge, just happy someone can use them.

I also need a few dust covers. Do you still have them ??

One of my favorite authors of all time. I look forward to each book that you write. I haven’t yet found one that I was disappointed in. He’s an amazing with them. Thank you, Mr.Grisham, for your books.

I have read all your books. I lived in Tupelo MS for 6 years. I’m ready to read the latest 2 books very soon. Since I lived in the South a total of 18 year’s I could see the problems that we don’t have in the area I live in OH. We are considered a small town.

I have tried to keep up with all Mr. Grisham’s books but think I may be a few behind. I’ve never read one of your books that I didn’t love. I am 78, a retired Corrections Officer and I relate to your writings so much! You are blessed with a talent that seems like it was meant for me. I have lived in MO most of my life and it thrills me to see Nixa, Springfield, Joplin, etc. mentioned in your books. You are my favorite author of all times and I hope I live to read everything you write. I love Jake Brigance. I can’t imagine A Time To Kill didn’t grab everyone’s heart. I’m so thankful you kept writing. More!! More!

I love all his books. The Jake Brigance books are my favorite. I would like to read some more Old South Crime books.

John Grisham is my favorite author. I have all his books (hardcover) with the exception of all of the Theordore Boone books (only 3). I wait every year patiently for their release. My favorite is The Partner (read it 3 times looking for a clue to its surprise ending and did not find it). Most of the time I read them twice as that is how much I enjoy your work. I was born and raised in Arkansas and now live in Florida, my sister lives in Southaven, Mississippi. I recognize a lot of the landmarks in the descriptions. All of your books are 5 star quality. Thank you Mr. Grisham for sharing your talent.

Will there be a sequel to Reckoning – what happened to the family???

Nothing appears to be planned at this time.

Will there be a sequel to Gray Mountain, so we can see what happens with Samantha??

I’m glad that I’m not the only one who felt that the ending was the perfect set up for a sequel. These characters felt so real – I want to spend more time with them, and to know what happened next. If Grisham doesn’t want to lay out those cases, what about revising Samantha 10-15 years later (ie 2018-2023), so we can see where she ended up, and get flashback summaries to what happened after Gray Mountain ended.

I don’t have a favorite book by John Grisham. All of his writings are excellent. His character development and plot lines keep the reader enticed.

I have enjoyed the movies based on the books. However, I always read the book first and often find that the movie is never as good as the book. I love to all of John Grisham books. He is my al time favorite author.

Do you need to read them in order of publication ? Are His books ,like a series that follow the characters

If they are part of a series I would read them in order. The majority are standalone and don’t follow the characters.

A Time to Kill is my favourite book and film.

The Pelican Brief is my favorite movie of all time. Excellent actors and a great story. Can’t believe this one was not mentioned in the list of books to movies.

I have all his books in my library. Each is gripping and the new books are eagerly awaited. John , in Grey Mountain, strongly opposes the destructive Mountain Top Removal coal mining practice. His philanthropy is also extensive !!

I should like to read again, John Grisham’s book about the death of a young man from lung cancer brought on by smoking and the resultant lawyer’s battle against the Tobacco firms, but annoyingly, I cannot remember the title. Please can you help. I have read so many of John Grisham’s books and am a total admirer of all his work.

The Runaway Jury.

Wasn’t the runaway jury about guns ?

The movie was. The book was about tobacco.

So far Reading any Grisham book I learn so much about the J. system. And LAWYERS. I started reading these books only a few years ago and I actually think I’m addicted! I have to have one at all times. I hope he never stops writing. So far The King of Torts, the Chamber, the Partner and the Racketeer have been very educational–JO

I have been enjoying your newest book “A Time For Mercy”. Getting closer to the end of the book there were pages missing and a chapter repeated also pages missing. I am quite disappointed. Wondering what you can do for me.

I too have pages missing, 7 in all and repeated pages and out of order pages just at the most exciting part of the Trial. I too want to know how to get a replacement without purchasing new. I bought mine at Sam’s Club in Hobart Indiana in November 2020 and just started reading it last month. Good luck getting a replacement.

Any reputable book store should offer to replace your copy so long as your copy does not appear to have pages torn out. If the binding is intact, there shouldn’t be a problem.

Dear Mr. Grishman, I watched “The Innocent Man” on Netflix, I was so involved, I love your books, I’ll never go to Ada, OK! How I hate corrupt law, thank God you chose to be a writer, no, you are more than a writer, you paint your canvas in words, He, up above, wanted your words, to pour out like sweat, you were CHOSEN! Thank You, Sal Condoluci

My all-time favorite author. Ahead of Connelly, Baldacci, and Lescroart. Recognized Amelia (Camino) Island about ten pages in….where I grew up. My son is a current resident and says Grisham has a place there. Good taste! Can’t wait for the next book.

Love this author! Am now reading “ A Time to Kill”—his first book. Can not put it down!

Love all Grisham books-Finished A Time for Mercy Is now my # 1 favorite with A Time to Kill,hope to see on the big screen someday

I love this author.He and I graduated from Mississippi State University. Also, I have written a beautiful children’s book entitled Roscoe: A Respectable Dog With Good Moral Principles. This book is on domestic violence, and it was self-published. I need Mr. Grisham’s help in getting my book published by a real publisher.The movie of A Time To Kill was filmed in my hometown of Canton,Mississippi.Also, I would love Mr. Grisham’s email address. Respectively, James Lester Thompson

I’m looking forward to future Rogue Lawyer books

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The Complete List of John Grisham’s Books in Order

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When we discuss the world of fiction, there are certain names that keep recurring because of the immense contribution they have made to literature. Among these names is the name of John Grisham, whose works are shining examples of how legal thrillers should be written.

Having been in the business for over three decades, Grisham has produced one hit novel after another. This is why it comes as a surprise to no one that he is one of only three authors whose books have gone on to sell two million copies on the first printing.

Another unique thing about Grisham is that he hasn’t just stuck to fiction but has also written non-fiction books. In addition to creating book series that have won the hearts of readers worldwide, he has also crafted standalone novels that stand strong all by themselves.

The outstanding popularity of his novels has led many of them to be adapted into movies and TV shows over the years as well.

If you are someone who has yet to pick up a John Grisham novel and are wondering where to start from, we will be providing you with a list of the John Grisham books in order of their release in this article.

With so many books to discuss about, let’s get straight to it.

Table of Contents

Jake Brigance Series

Mitch mcdeere series, theodore boone series, rogue lawyer series, the whistler series, camino island series, standalone novels written by john grisham, non-fiction books by john grisham, short stories written by john grisham, neha jhunjhunwala, the list of john grisham’s books.

John Grisham has developed various sorts of books so far in his career. These include book series, standalones, short stories, and non-fiction books. Let’s now take a look at the numerous literary creations we have had from this prolific author.

Order of the Series Written by John Grisham

We will firstly be discussing the book series written by John Grisham till date. They are as follows:

With A Time to Kill , Grisham initiated the Jake Brigance series back in 1989. The series focuses on Jake Brigance, who is a young defense attorney, when we meet him for the first time in the series.

The first book narrates the story of a 10-year-old kid who faces horrors no child should ever have to come across, and it’s all because of two men who neither have any remorse nor do they fear the law.

In the fictional town of Clanton, Mississippi, a wave of shock goes through when the residents – who are mostly white – hear about what took place. However, an even bigger shock is in store for them when the girl’s black father decides to deal with the matter on his own.

Jake Brigance enters the scene to bring justice to his client, and as the novel progresses further, he realizes that he might have to save his own life in the process as well.

The publication order of the Jake Brigance series:

• A Time to Kill (1989)
• Sycamore Row (2013)
• A Time for Mercy (2020)
• Homecoming (2022)

Through just two books, Grisham gives us a gripping series in the form of the Mitch McDeere series. With these novels, we see the evolution of a character who goes from being a young and brilliant mind to one who has to face evils that are much bigger than he has ever imagined.

Mitch McDeere completes his law degree from Harvard with flying colors, as a result of which he gets the chance to take his pick from a wide array of the most brilliant law firms in the USA. The one he ends up choosing, however, may not have been his smartest decision.

Although the pay and financial benefits seem immensely attractive, there is a weird feeling he gets from this particular firm. His nightmares come true when an FBI investigation reveals that the firm has connections with the mafia.

Mitch gets caught up in a web of lies and deceit, and he must do everything in his power to escape.

The publication order of the Mitch McDeere series:

• The Firm (1991)
• The Exchange (2023)

With the Theodore Boone series , Grisham takes a slight departure from his usual adult fiction route and tries his hands at young adult fiction, and we must say he does an extremely commendable job.

Through the course of seven novels, he keeps the readers hooked and guessing till the end of the series. The protagonist of the series is Theodore Boone, a 13-year-old kid in the tiny city of Strattenburg who dreams of becoming a lawyer someday.

The city is known to have plenty of lawyers, and Theodore believes he will be one of them in the future. He knows every single policeman and judge who is a part of the system.

However, turns out that Theodore might have to face the court much sooner than expected, and the reason isn’t a positive one.

He finds himself at the center of a murder trial, and he is the only one who knows the truth. It’s now in Theo’s hands to speak up or let a murderer walk free. Although the road looks bleak, Theo knows just what he must do as a cheerleader of justice.

The publication order of the Theodore Boone series:

• Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer / Young Lawyer (2010)
• The Abduction (2010)
• The Accused (2012)
• The Activist (2013)
• The Fugitive (2015)
• The Scandal (2016)
• The Accomplice (2019)

Grisham’s Rogue Lawyer series comprises of a main book, with the second book being a novella and a prequel that is related to the incidents that take place prior to the first novel.

In the first book of the series, Grisham introduces us to Sebastian Rudd, a street lawyer who is quite different from the others in his profession.

He works from a customized bulletproof van which serves as his office, and the office is equipped with all the essential items, such as a fridge, leather chairs, and Wi-Fi.

Rudd neither works with partners nor with a firm, but he does have a single employee who is his armed driver, confidant, law clerk, and bodyguard. The lawyer is known to defend people who are otherwise ignored by those in the same field, such as crime lords and shady kids.

He is of the opinion that everyone deserves a fair chance, and he is willing to give them that very chance, even if it means applying slightly crooked ways to bring about justice.

The publication order of the Rogue Lawyer series:

• Rogue Lawyer (2015)
• Partners (2016)

The Whistler series comprises of two books and one novella. In this world, the focus is on lawyers and how not all of them are fair or corruption-free.

Grisham, through this series, reminds his readers that while we all expect judges to be the picture of justice, there are some who taint that image as well.

He carries these books forward through the central character named Lacy Stoltz, who works for the Florida Board on Judicial Conduct as an investigator. She is a lawyer who deals with cases related to judicial misconduct.

One fine day, she comes across a case that isn’t related to incompetence and is instead related to corruption. Greg Myers, a lawyer who was disbarred and is now back with a new identity, claims to know a lawyer from Florida who is more twisted and corrupt than any judge who has ever lived.

While Lacy wants to reveal the truth, she also knows that there is plenty of risk involved. The scary part is that this case could just up endangering her life.

The publication order of the The Whistler series:

• Witness to a Trial (2016)
• The Whistler (2016)
• The Judge’s List (2021)

In the thrilling Camino Island series, Grisham takes us on a ride that involves writers, booksellers, stolen books, and so much more. The two primary characters in this series are Bruce Cable and Mercer Mann.

Bruce Cable is the owner of a famous bookstore located in Florida’s Camino Island. However, his main source of income comes from dealing with rare books. He is known to visit the black market occasionally to get his hands on stolen books and manuscripts, which is a secret very few people know.

Mercer Mann is a young woman and writer who has recently lost her job as a teacher and is currently suffering from writer’s block. So, when a mysterious woman approaches her to do a shady job in exchange for a large sum, Mann isn’t sure what to do.

The job involves going undercover and getting into Cable’s literary group to learn all his deep, dark secrets. The series traces the equation, which then begins between Cable and Mann.

The publication order of the Camino Island series:

• Camino Island (2017)
• Camino Winds (2020)

Grisham has written close to 30 standalone novels till date, and they have all been loved by readers universally. Of all the standalones that have been produced by his pen, The Pelican Brief is undoubtedly one of the most popular novels ever.

The novel opens by informing the readers that two Supreme Court justices in the United States have been brutally murdered. On the other hand, we get to know of a young law student named Darby Shaw, who is preparing a legal brief.

However, what she thinks of as just a guess turns out to be an important piece in a political puzzle. Soon enough, she is found to be a witness to a murder that was actually intended for Darby.

She realizes that the only person who can help her solve this puzzle is a talented reporter. While a cover-up gets designed somewhere in the city, there is someone who comes across Darby’s brief. Will she be able to stop them from attempting to destroy all the crucial pieces of evidence?

If this sounds interesting enough to you, we’re sure you will find all of Grisham’s standalone books immensely gripping.

The publication order of the standalone novels:

• The Pelican Brief (1992)
• The Client (1993)
• The Chamber (1994)
• The Rainmaker (1995)
• The Runaway Jury (1996)
• The Partner (1997)
• The Street Lawyer (1998)
• The Testament (1999)
• The Brethren (2000)
• A Painted House (2001)
• Skipping Christmas (2001)
• The Summons (2002)
• The King of Torts (2003)
• Bleachers (2003)
• The Last Juror (2004)
• The Broker (2005)
• Playing for Pizza (2007)
• The Appeal (2008)
• The Associate (2009)
• The Confession (2010)
• The Litigators (2011)
• Calico Joe (2012)
• The Racketeer (2012)
• Gray Mountain (2014)
• The Rooster Bar (2017)
• The Reckoning (2018)
• The Guardians (2019)
• Sooley (2021)
• The Boys from Biloxi (2022)

Grisham’s name has been a part of a couple of non-fiction titles, with the most popular one being The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town. Released in 2006, it’s a true crime book that presents a picture of how justice works in a small town.

One of the stories speaks about Ron Williamson who was a part of the huge league draft of 1971. He left his hometown to chase his major legal dreams. However, he came back home six years later with a string of bad habits to accompany him, including drugs and alcohol.

He lost all his jobs, began to live with his mother, and slept for 20 hours every day. In 1982, a case came to light which involved a young waitress being raped and murdered. Ron Williamson and his friend became suspects due to reasons that weren’t named.

The book shows the way justice and the legal system work in America and how the truth may not be as it always seems.

The publication order of the non-fiction books:

• The Wavedancer Benefit: A Tribute to Frank Muller (2002)
• The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town (2006)

Since Grisham clearly loves to dominate all kinds of books, he also has a collection of short stories, to no one’s surprise.

The collection is known as Ford County and contains seven short stories, namely Fetching Raymond, Fish Files, Blood Drive, Quiet Haven, Michael’s Room, Casino, and Funny Boy.

Through these stories, Grisham takes his readers down memory lane through the setting of Ford County, Mississippi, which is where his very first novel was set.

One of the stories features a woman named Inez Graney, who goes on a road trip with her two older sons named Butch and Leon to visit Raymond, the youngest son. Raymond has been awaiting execution for 11 years, and this could be the last chance for them to visit him.

In another intriguing story, we are told about Mack Stafford, who is a divorce lawyer who is addicted to alcohol. One day, he gets the chance to settle some old cases in exchange for a large sum of money. The story follows the decisions taken by Mack.

The collection also features the setting of a retirement home. Although it seems like a boring and dull place, the arrival of a new person changes the scenario. However, the reality of this new person may be darker than anyone could have possibly imagined.

The publication order of the short stories:

• Ford County (2008)

When it comes to a writer like John Grisham, who has written more books than one can count, it can indeed be slightly overwhelming to keep track of all the novels and book series he has produced.

While it may not seem like a difficult task for some of the ardent John Grisham fans, it can feel daunting to the newbies who are just beginning to explore this author’s books.

We hope this article and the list we have curated proves to be helpful so that you can come back to it whenever you decide to pick up his books next.

This is Neha Jhunjhunwala, one of the writers for this book review website. Her interest in this field is driven by her exposure to a plethora of books from a very early age. By sharing her observations and insights on different books with others on this website, she hopes to motivate and inspire people to read more and more books and help them better their knowledge of different genres and enrich their lives.

All 50+ John Grisham Books in Order | The Ultimate Guide

John Grisham’s latest book returns to the setting and characters from one of his earliest books: The Firm. This was the book that really put Grisham on the map as one of the best legal thriller authors in publishing. His subsequent books continued to establish that legacy, which is apparent by looking at all the John Grisham books in order.

The best way to read the John Grisham books in order is by grouping his legal stories and non-legal stories together. There are 48 John Grisham novels, and he has also published several novellas and a novella collection too.

You may want to read his debut novel first, the book which brought him to fame, or one of the books that has been turned into a popular and successful movie. Regardless of where you begin, from his debut novel, A Time to Kill, to his latest book, Grisham’s writing is captivating and compelling.

Who is John Grisham?

John Grisham is an American novelist who is one of only three authors to sell 2 million copies on a first printing alongside J.K Rowling and Tom Clancy .

Before becoming an author, he was a master of his own legal thrillers by working as a criminal defense attorney. This gave him an intimate understanding of the courts which shines through in his writing.

He wrote his first book, A Time to Kill, following inspiration from an actual court case. His second novel, The Firm, got him into the spotlight and made him consider a career as an author. The realistic portrayal of court proceedings alongside the riveting cases contributed to his success.

Today, John Grisham has sold more than 300 million books worldwide that have been translated into 42 languages.

How to Read John Grisham’s Books in Order

John Grisham’s books can be categorized into two groups: Legal stories and non-legal stories. 

The legal stories are the first books we’ve listed below, because they have always drawn more attention from fans than the others. If you are a new reader of John Grisham’s books, we propose you read his books in the orders presented below.

Recent & Upcoming John Grisham Releases:

The Exchange: After The Firm (October 17, 2023) Camino Ghosts (May 28, 2024)

John Grisham Legal Books in Order

The firm books.

While The Firm is the second book that Grisham ever published, this is the book which solidified his name as one of the best legal thriller authors around. For many years the story of Mitch McDeere was a standalone, but in March 2023 came the announcement of a long-awaited sequel.

The Exchange: After The Firm takes place 15 years after the conclusion of The Firm. It promises to follow up with just as many deadly secrets and corporate intrigue with a character that readers around the world fell in love with. The sequel also takes place upon a global stage.

• The Firm (1991)
• The Exchange: After The Firm (2023)

Standalone Books

However, many more of John Grisham’s books began, and have remained, as standalones. All of these books feature Grisham’s compelling characters and high-stakes suspense, which makes any of them a great John Grisham book to read first.

• The Pelican Brief (1992)
• The Client (1993)
• The Chamber (1994)
• The Rainmaker (1995)
• The Runaway Jury (1996)
• The Partner (1997)
• The Street Lawyer (1998)
• The Testament (1999)
• The Brethren (2000)
• The Summons (2002)
• The King of Torts (2003)
• The Last Juror (2004)
• The Broker (2005)
• The Innocent Man (2006)
• The Appeal (2008)
• The Associate (2009)
• Ford County (2009)
• The Confession (2010)
• The Litigators (2011)
• The Racketeer (2012)
• Gray Mountain (2014)
• The Rooster Bar (2018)
• The Reckoning (2019)
• The Guardians (2019)
• Sooley (2021)
• The Boys From Biloxi (2022)

Rogue Lawyer Books

Next in our list of the John Grisham books in order is another short series with one full-length novel and one prequel short story. Rogue Lawyer introduces Sebastian Rudd who defends those that others won’t go near, and he’s willing to bend the law to give his clients a fair trial.

Sebastian’s office is a bulletproof van and his only employee is his heavily-armed driver. Then the prequel short story dives into how Sebastian found his trusted driver. While this story is first chronologically, it does spoil some of the mystery and intrigue from Rogue Lawyer, so these titles are best read in order of publication.

• Rogue Lawyer (2015)
• Partners (2016) (Short Story Prequel)

Whistler Books

Unlike the previous series in which the prequel short story was written as a follow-up, for the Whistler books the short story prequel was published in anticipation of the first book as promotion. Witness to a Trial introduces the moving parts and pieces of the series with a very brief story.

Then The Whistler dives right in to the story of a corrupt judge and the lawyer, Lacy Stoltz, who receives the complaint regarding the judicial misconduct. The sequel, The Judge’s List, takes place three years later and follows Lacy once again as she finds herself neck deep in danger in her attempt to bring a judge to justice.

• Witness to a Trial (2016) (Short Story Prequel)
• The Whistler (2016)
• The Judge’s List (2021)

Theodore Boone Books

This John Grisham book series is about Theodore Boone, a 13-year-old who lives in Strattenburg, Pennsylvania. These are young adult books, which tailor Grisham’s legal themes and twists for a younger audience. Theo has spent much of his childhood growing up around the courtroom and knows that he has what it takes to become the best lawyer in the state.

Theo knows every judge, court clerk, police officer and a lot about the law, and he happily dispenses legal advice to his friends leading to new adventures in pursuit of justice. These John Grisham books should also be read in order of publication.

• Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer (2010)
• Theodore Boone: The Abduction (2011)
• Theodore Boone: The Accused (2012)
• Theodore Boone: The Activist (2013)
• Theodore Boone: The Fugitive (2015)
• Theodore Boone: The Scandal  (2016)
• Theodore Boone: The Accomplice  (2019)

John Grisham Books in Order – Jake Brigance

The series includes John Grisham’s debut novel, which introduced Jake Brigance for the very first time. He is an attorney in Canton, Mississippi, a small town which is horrified by the rape of a ten-year-old girl, but even more horrified when her Black father takes matters into his own hands against her rapists. Jake must now save his client’s life amidst a mire of racial violence and uncertain justice.

The following books in the series continue to track Jake throughout his career, so it is best to read them in order of publication.

• A Time to Kill (1989)
• Sycamore Row (2013)
• A Time For Mercy (2020)
• Sparring Partners (2022) (Novella Collection)

John Grisham Non-Legal Books in Order

While his legal thrillers are what John Grisham is most well-known for, as we’ve already mentioned, he has also written non-legal stories.

Similar to his legal thrillers, the majority of John Grisham’s non-legal stories are also standalones. This is great for new readers because it means you can easily pick up whichever book strikes your fancy without worrying about spoilers. These books are character driven and three pertain to sports.

• A Painted House (2001)
• Skipping Christmas (2001)
• Bleachers (2003)
• Playing for Pizza (2007)
• Calico Joe (2012)
• The Tumor: A Non-Legal Thriller (2016) (Novella)

Camino Island Books

The Camino Island books are not legal thrillers, but Grisham has injected mystery into each book with a whodunnit. The first book introduces Bruce Cable, the proprietor of a bookshop in Santa Rosa on Camino Island, Florida. Bruce’s real money, however, comes from selling rare books and occasionally dabbling in the black market with its lucrative stolen books and manuscripts.

Mercer Mann, a young novelist, has been recruited to infiltrate Bruce’s circle of friends in order to learn his secrets. But then she learns too much, and trouble is biting at her heels.

These John Grisham books should definitely be read in order of publication.

• Camino Island (2017)
• Camino Winds (2020)
• Camino Ghosts (Expected: May 28, 2024)

John Grisham Book-to-Screen Adaptations

There are many adaptations of John Grisham’s books. In fact, it was the success of The Firm adaptation in 1993, starring Tom Cruise and Jeanne Tripplehorn, which gave Grisham the financial security to walk away from his day job as a lawyer and pursue writing full-time.

That same year The Pelican Brief was adapted with another star-studded cast. Julia Roberts plays the main character alongside Denzel Washington.

The following year in 1994 saw the adaptation of one more John Grisham novel: The Client . Once again it was another star-studded cast with Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones. Brad Renfro was cast as the young main character, Mark Sway, because Grisham had final casting approval and insisted the actor hail from near Memphis.

Two years later in 1996 saw the adaptation of two more Grisham novels: The Chamber and A Time to Kill. First came A Time to Kill , based on Grisham’s debut, starring Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L. Jackson, Sandra Bullock, Kevin Spacey, Oliver Platt, Donald Sutherland, Kiefer Sutherland, Ashley Judd, and many more. Then the second Grisham movie that year was The Rainmaker starring Matt Damon, Danny DeVito, Claire Danes, and more.

It would be a few more years before the next John Grisham adaptation, but in 2003 Runaway Jury premiered. Like the ones before it, this adaptation had another star-studded cast including John Cusack, Rachel Weisz, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, and more.

Finally, nearly all of Grisham’s adaptations are ones of his legal thrillers, but there is one notable exception which has become an annual tradition for many. The 2004 Christmas with the Kranks movie starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis is an adaptation of Grisham’s novel, Skipping Christmas.

A Summary of John Grisham Books in Order

If you’re still uncertain where you should begin your John Grisham reading journey, or trying to remember which books of his you’ve already read, these summaries will be helpful. Below you will find the summaries to the first ten standalone John Grisham books. All of these are his legal thrillers and will have you racing to the last page.

1. The Pelican Brief

One night two Supreme Court justices are assassinated, and a young law student in New Orleans prepares a legal brief.

It was a shot in the dark for Darby Shaw, merely a guess, but suddenly she is witness to a murder that was meant for her. Now she must go underground to save her life and she finds that there is only one person, an ambitious reporter, that she can trust to help her understand what is going on.

That’s because someone is engineering a deadly cover-up. Someone who has read Darby’s legal brief and will do anything to destroy the evidence of an unthinkable crime.

2. The Client

Mark Sway was sharing a forbidden smoke with his younger brother when a shiny Lincoln pulled up to the curb and the eleven-year-old learned a dangerous secret. That’s because the unexpected visitor, a suicidal lawyer, means Mark now knows the whereabouts of the most sought-after dead body in America.

Now the young boy is in the middle of a dangerous fight between the legal system and a desperate mob killer. Reggie Love is the only one in his corner, a young lawyer who will do anything to protect her client, including make a gamble that could bring his freedom, or cost them their lives.

3. The Chamber

Adam Hall is on the brink of a brilliant career in law when he risks it all for a killer on death row. Sam Cayhall is a former Klansman now facing the death penalty in Mississippi for a fatal bombing in 1967. His only hope is the twenty-six-year-old liberal lawyer from Chicago, because Adam happens to be his grandson.

The bond between the two men is rife with shame, family lies, and secrets. Adam has only days to try and save his client from the gas chamber, but there is one secret that could save Sam’s life or cost Adam his own.

4. The Rainmaker

Rudy Baylor does not have much. He doesn’t have a job and his creditors are calling. But he does have a client if Rudy can find a way to file the lawsuit against the insurance company for a devastated family.

The case quickly explodes into something much bigger than Rudy ever anticipated though. When he arrives in court, there is a heavyweight corporate defense team to meet him and they plunge him into a nightmare of lies and legal maneuverings. It has become a fight that could cost Rudy his life, or make him the biggest rainmaker in the land.

5. The Runaway Jury

The twelve members of the jury at the center of an enormous lawsuit against a giant tobacco company have been investigated and harassed by lawyers and consultants intent on a verdict. The civil trial is sure to be the most explosive of the century with everyone waiting to hear their decision. But the jury has a leader, and he will be the one who decides the verdict.

While he is known only as Juror #2 within the trial, his life and his past has led him to this moment. A woman on the outside helped him plot and plan, but now as a corporate empire waits for a decision, the truth about Juror #2 will explode like wildfire.

Final Thoughts on John Grisham books in order

Are you a huge fan of John Grisham’s books? Have you just begun reading these books and don’t know where to start? You now have many options to read through the John Grisham books in order from the first to the last. 

Which order is best for you? Let us know!

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33 thoughts on “ All 50+ John Grisham Books in Order | The Ultimate Guide ”

Just started your books. Love them! Question? What became of Jakes Smallwwood case? How much did he make? Did Drew get another trial after the hung jury?

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to help you there. I’m not John Grisham or anyone associated with him. I did try to do some research on the topic for you, but could not find any additional information as to what happens to Drew after the trial “concludes” in the book.

I think the author intends for us to fill in the blanks. The TV show, Bull, does this a lot, too. The primary crisis is averted, and we are to assume that there is another trial, but with the primary penalty or biggest danger past, we can assume that anything else that happens is more desirable by characters involved and thus a “happy ending” if you will.

I’m trying to remember the name of his book that was about the nursing home that was giving drugs to the patients to keep them alive so they could continue to make money. The main character worked in the home. Do you know the name of this book by JG? Thank you!

I love John Grisham books and I’m trying to read them all.

He is a prolific writer!

I started reading Alex Cross series in order on Jan 1st, 2022. John Grisham is next. My sister is sending the series to me.

Both excellent series/books to read. Enjoy!

You will enjoy them all. I have read until I am begging for more books. Waiting for new release. Grisham is the best of legalese.

Love John’s story. I pretty much has everyone. It is a good gift list for family to me 🙂

Hi, Hope you and family are fine. Thanks for the list. I am big fan as the first book I read in 90’s was The Firm. Got me hooked on Grisham wagon 😁.

Many I have not read so thanks once again.

Take care and be safe.

Love his books and was happy to see he started doing mini series as his writing leaves me wondering what happened to the lawyer in every book. Catherine Coulter also has 2 seties, one involving the US FBI husbsnd and wife team, and another about a Brit in the FBI. They are as addicting as James Pattersons Alex Cross.

Great fan of Grisham. Read 37 out of his 40 books. Love the way he writes. Never know how the story ends. Love also Patterson’s books with Alex Cross, great thrillers. Keeps you reading all night long.

So easy to read. I have read all of them and have pre-ordered Oct. 2022 book already. Any writing by him has to be good.

I agree! John Grisham is such a great writer.

I also love Grisham novels, gets me hooked first paragraph. However I’m near the end of Sparing Partners and realized it’s three different cases. Should have read the info about the book before I bought it. Stories leave you wondering.

I have read all of John’s books, in the order described by this web site…when will we see more of his great stories?

As of this writing, the next book to come out is The Boys from Biloxi, slated to release in October 2022.

I loved reading from a very tender age. Read every Mills & boon there was then went to Daniel steel.then every thing else. I stopped reading because I came to a point where every book was like the same to me. Until 1997 when I got hold of A TIME TO KILL..This was the best book I had read. L.S.S. Today am just waiting for his next book. Thanks John Grisham for renewing my love for reading.

I only started John Grishm books because my mother asked me to read the first 3 pages because she knew I would have to find out the end Jihn Grisham’s book The Testament. Mom was right, I could not even think about any else until finished that book. Not sure if it has been made into a movie yet but think it is one of his best works.

Hello, I just read my first John Grisham book, The Guardians! Very good! Loved the story and the style! Now I need to read the next one? Which one would you suggest next? Thank you!

Awesome! You’re in for a treat getting to work through John Grisham’s books for the first time.

Every book he has written just pick one you won’t be disappointed

like everybody else on the replies i was hooked when i read a time to kill. the most recent was time of mercy

I’m obsessed with the Clanton stories. I would love it if there’d be a Telly series with that setting. I’ve read all of his legal novels. Brilliant, just brilliant.

I love reading John Grisham’s books and have read almost all of them and am looking forward to the next ones, I hope they will be soon as I am fast marching on to celebrate my 93rd birthday.Billie Jo Odom

He’s releasing a sequel to The Firm in October of this year. Hope you enjoy it!

I was reading Grisham when I was younger, going to college. I stopped when working. I am starting again from the beginning today because I have a lot of time on my hand due to a disability. I am sure I will have plenty of time to start at the beginning and make to the end. He is awesome and my favorite.

I thought I had read all of his books except the most current few; however, in checking my list, I have missed just a few. I love reading his books. They are ones you do not want to lay down.

I REALY LIKE HIS BOOKS AND WOULD READ MORE OF THEM.

Love his books

2023 New Year’s resolution was to read all John Grisham books. Had read five prior to 2023. Only five more to read. I have counted 52 books. Hope I haven’t missed any. (Not counting Theodore books).

I have read them all and was somewhat disappointed with the latest The Exchange – predictable and spent way too much time on Mitch & Abby’s story from The Firm one of his best and close to the best he wrote.

I read a John Grisham book about his own miserable basketball career and I cannot find it listed or recall the name. Was it The Losing Season or….? It’s not Sooley.

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Order of John Grisham Books

What’s very notable about the Grisham books is that (with the exception of his recent Theodore Boone series) he’s never resorted to using the same characters. Every novel Grisham has written, save for his young teen novels, are purely standalone with no references to any of his previous books.

Grisham is a phenomenal author, with numerous of his books also made into movies. We have a list of all his books in publication order (which is also their chronological order) below:

Get notified when John Grisham releases a new book at BookNotification.com .

Publication Order of Jake Brigance Books

Publication order of mitch mcdeere books, publication order of theodore boone books, publication order of camino island books, publication order of rogue lawyer books, publication order of the whistler books, publication order of standalone novels, publication order of short stories/novellas, publication order of short story collections, publication order of non-fiction books, publication order of anthologies, if you like john grisham books, you’ll love….

• Jonathan Kellerman
• David Baldacci
• Michael Connelly

John Grisham Synopses: The Pelican Brief is a standalone novel by John Grisham. For Darby Shaw, it was merely a legal hypothesis, a daring speculation made in the dark. Yet, for the corridors of power in Washington, it ignited a political powder keg. In an abrupt turn of events, Darby becomes an inadvertent witness to a murder—a murder plotted against her. Forced into the shadows, she realizes she has only one ally she can rely on—an ambitious journalist seeking a scoop that could eclipse even the Watergate scandal. Together, they embark on a perilous journey to unravel a treacherous web of secrets.

With the landscape spanning from the enigmatic bayous of Louisiana to the inner sanctums of the White House, a sinister cover-up is being meticulously orchestrated. Someone has deciphered Darby’s legal hypothesis, and that someone is willing to go to any lengths to erase the evidence of an unimaginable crime. In a race against time, Darby and her journalist partner must navigate through a labyrinth of deception, facing dangers at every turn, in order to expose the truth and thwart a conspiracy that reaches the highest echelons of power.

The Client by John Grisham is a standalone title. At the tender age of eleven, Mark Sway and his younger sibling shared a clandestine moment, sneaking a forbidden cigarette. Little did Mark know that this minor transgression would intertwine his fate with a tormented lawyer on the brink of ending his own life. In an unexpected twist of events, Mark becomes the keeper of a bloody and explosive secret—an enigma that holds the key to the location of the most coveted deceased body in the entire nation.

Caught in the vortex of a justice system gone awry and pursued by a relentless mob hitman determined to erase any trace of his crime, Mark finds himself trapped between two ruthless forces. In this high-stakes battle, his only shield is Reggie Love, a woman whose legal experience spans just four years. As the prosecutors resort to extreme measures to force Mark’s revelation and the mob tightens its grip, Reggie embarks on a perilous mission to safeguard her client. Willing to challenge conventions and risk everything, Reggie employs a daring gamble in a last-ditch effort to secure Mark’s freedom, even if it means placing both their lives on the line. In a desperate race against time, Mark and Reggie confront an unforgiving world, fighting not only for justice but for their very survival.

In The Boys from Biloxi by John Grisham, throughout much of the past century, Biloxi basked in its reputation as a haven of sun-soaked beaches, charming resorts, and a thriving seafood industry. But beneath this idyllic façade lurked a shadowy underbelly. A sinister reputation for corruption and immorality festered, giving rise to a seedy realm of vices that encompassed gambling, prostitution, bootleg liquor, narcotics, and even contract killings. These illicit enterprises were masterminded by a tight-knit syndicate of mobsters, rumored to have deep ties to the enigmatic Dixie Mafia.

Two individuals, Keith Rudy and Hugh Malco, shared a unique bond as childhood friends and Little League standouts in 1960s Biloxi. However, their paths diverged as they approached their teenage years. Keith, son of a renowned prosecutor, embraced his father’s crusade to cleanse the Coast of criminality. In contrast, Hugh, son of the enigmatic “Boss” of Biloxi’s criminal underworld, was drawn to the nightlife and the shadowy dealings of his father’s clubs. As time progressed, Keith pursued a legal education and followed his father’s honorable path, while Hugh embraced the enigmatic allure of his father’s criminal empire.

As fate would have it, the destinies of the Rudy and Malco families were set on a collision course, hurtling towards a climactic confrontation that would play out in the heart of the courtroom. Keith and Hugh, childhood friends turned adversaries, would find themselves in a legal battle that epitomized the struggle between virtue and vice, justice and corruption, and the enduring clash between two families destined for an explosive reckoning.

17 Responses to “Order of John Grisham Books”

Where does “Fetching Raymond” figure into Grisham’s order of books?

That’s just a short story from the Ford County short story collection.

Is the Witness to a Trial in hardback or just Kindle/audio?

Grisham is a great story teller. Love to read his books. the Painted House and the Last Juror are just two of his great books that fly under the radar in my opinion. His presentation of the south is great to read

When I try to print this order of books I get an error message (///c:Users/Dell/AppData/Local/Temp). I used to print these order of Authors all the time but now I Can’t???

Sounds like an odd issue on your computer in regard to the temp directory. Maybe try cleaning out the temp directory or copying/pasting the list to MS Word.

Has anyone else spotted the massive error concerning the value of 5 gold mini-bars on page 303 (large paperback edition) of John Grisham’s ‘The Racketeer’? It spoiled my enjoyment of an otherwise great book.

Which book title is about the man who takes a run every day only to get tortured at the end of each run before going back home?

You might have it confused a bit – but I believe you’re talking about The Partner. The main character faked his own death and moved to Brazil and he’d go for a run every day, and on one of the runs he was captured and kidnapped and tortured. One of my favourites. Think I need to re-read that again.

Don’t forget the girl-friend – the one that stole all his money. Women!!

The Partner

Someone hiding from me is verbally abusing me everywhere, like the shock torture treatments described in John Grisham’s The Partner.

Whoever wrote this review(?) needs to check their grammar. I enjoy John Grisham….his novels are clean….not loaded with 4 letter words. More novelists should take note. The Theodore Boone series is fun…..I have recommended those books to some teenagers I know.

You are missing his non fiction novel “The Innocent Man”

Added. Thanks!

I used to love John Grisham. The Client got me hooked. I can even remember what I was doing when reading his books – like when I was eating chips and curry sauce while reading The Firm from Saturday evening until 8am. Then I woke up, rented the movie and bought more chips and curry sauce. The King of Torts was probably his best book, but sadly the last one of his that’s worth reading. Since then, they’ve just all been downhill. It seems his books aren’t written to be engaging or entertaining anymore, just to deliver a political message.

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The Enduring Charm of John Grisham

O n a rack at the front of Burke’s Book Store in Memphis is a postcard showing the store in an earlier era, overhung by a billboard that’s no longer there. “Grisham is coming,” the billboard says in big red letters, next to a photo of the youthful lawyer-turned-author. His brow is knitted, mouth pursed in a half-smirk. Below him, you can see the line of people waiting for the store to open. John Grisham picks up the postcard and looks at it appreciatively. “Oh, yeah, I remember those days,” he says in his honey-thick drawl.

The picture on the postcard is from a book signing for The Chamber , in 1994. It’s a memento of the heady days of Grisham’s early success, when he released a succession of best-selling novels that became hit movies. People camped out in line for his book signings, Hollywood studios got in bidding wars for his film rights, and stores could barely keep his novels in stock. Many things have changed in the intervening decades. The book business has fragmented and fallen on hard times, while the legal arena Grisham writes about has never seemed more tormented, with everyone from liberal reformers to an indicted former President calling the criminal-justice system’s legitimacy into question.

What hasn’t changed is Grisham’s steady commitment to giving readers what they want. At 68, he may no longer be publishing’s fresh young hotshot; his books sell a fraction of the copies that they used to, and it’s been 19 years since he had a feature film made. Yet every fall, like clockwork, Grisham publishes a new legal thriller, and every fall it shoots to the top of the bestseller list.

Since breaking out with The Firm in 1991, Grisham has released 48 consecutive New York Times No. 1 bestsellers, a feat no other writer has matched. On Facebook, where he has more than a million followers, fans gush with anticipation. (“Can’t wait!” “I always get excited when October comes around so I can get the new one!” “I’m so ready!”) “He doesn’t get enough attention, he’s taken for granted by practically everybody, but he’s had a steady output of books that people always read,” says the longtime film and literary critic Janet Maslin. “He’s very disciplined, very serious, and really careful to be able to reach everybody. He never shows off. His books aren’t polarizing. They’re just dependably good.”

This month, Grisham looks to extend his winning streak by going back to the beginning. His new thriller, The Exchange , is a sequel to The Firm , the legal thriller set in Memphis that established him as a force in publishing and Hollywood alike. The movie version released 30 years ago, starring Tom Cruise as lawyer Mitch McDeere, remains his highest-grossing adaptation. His publisher says the new book was inspired in part by Cruise’s comeback turn in Top Gun: Maverick last year. Its release is a milestone that has Grisham feeling reflective. “When I started writing the book in January of this year, I really got nostalgic,” he tells me.

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He’s not the only one. For a mix of commercial and cultural reasons, a late-career Grisham renaissance may be in the offing. A wave of movie-critic thinkpieces have heralded a turn back to the type of adult dramas that made him one of his era’s defining genre writers. “It’s Time to Bring Back the ‘90s Legal Thriller,” a writer for GQ recently argued , while the New York Times ran a nostalgic reflection on the era “When John Grisham Movies Were King.” The youngest Gen Xers are reaching the peak of their consumer power, sparking a wave of 90s nostalgia. And after decades where Hollywood turned away from adult dramatic fare, the studios are turning back. Feature films of Grisham’s novels Calico Joe , The Confession , The Partner and The Racketeer are all in development, while several others are being turned into TV series, according to his agent, David Gernert, who says there’s more studio interest in Grisham's work than ever before. “The business changed and the studios were not making ‘John Grisham movies’ for a while,” Gernert says. “Now everything’s come full circle.”

With over 400 million copies sold, Grisham’s books have shaped the way millions see the law and its discontents, tackling themes like racial violence, corporate greed, environmental destruction and capital punishment. By his own account, he is obsessed with injustice, and often takes a novel as an opportunity to explore an issue. But he never wants readers to feel they’re being lectured to, he tells me. “I don’t spend a lot of time delivering messages,” he says. “People take the stories in different ways. It’s often fun to watch people read themes into the stories, about loyalty and forgiveness and greed or whatever. I just want to tell a story. I want to tell a story in such a way that the reader is caught up in it, and the pages turn.”

Grisham’s high forehead is wrinkled now, his once-dark hair gone white, but he still has that sardonic gaze, the lawyerly stare, that graced his book jackets at the beginning of his rise. He is a man of strong habits and intense loyalties. He’s had the same agent and publisher for decades, and he still comes back to the same handful of Southern independent bookstores that supported him when he was a struggling lawyer and politician with no novels to his name. On this late August morning, he’s come to Burke’s to see the owners, his old friends Corey and Cheryl Mesler, who—like every bookstore, chain store, and Walmart in the country—are preparing for his next book to drop.

“Mitch is back!” Grisham tells Corey Mesler, an aging hipster in a fedora and Hawaiian shirt. 

“Is Mitch in Memphis at all in this book?” Mesler asks.

“He’s in Memphis briefly. Just to say hello.”

“And then the story moves elsewhere. He’s based in New York now. It’s 15 years later, so he’s 41 years old now, living the good life in New York City, a big international lawyer.”

“And something happens,” Mesler prompts.

“Something happens,” Grisham chuckles. “There might be some dead bodies.”

“Is Tom Cruise too old to play it?” Mesler asks.

“He’s about 60, right? But he looks 40. He looks great. The rumor is that he’s reading the book now.”

Memphis, Grisham says, is functionally his hometown. He grew up in several small towns in Arkansas and Mississippi, all within an hour or two. “We did everything in Memphis—we shopped in Memphis, we came to restaurants in Memphis, we came to Memphis for parties,” he says. Grisham was born on a cotton farm, his father a sharecropper. He remembers picking cotton as a young child, his fingers bleeding. He put himself through college and law school and scraped by for a time in private practice in northwest Mississippi, hustling for clients. (Grisham has said that Jake Brigance, the small-town lawyer of his first novel A Time to Kill , who was played in the movie adaptation by Matthew McConaughey, is largely autobiographical.) 

A couple of years out of law school, Grisham got himself elected as a Democrat to the Mississippi House of Representatives. As he tells it, he ran for office because he wanted to end the state’s shameful status as the only one in the union not to offer public kindergarten. In his spare time—starting at 5:30 each morning—he drafted a novel in longhand, inspired by a court scene he’d witnessed, about a Black man who takes the law into his own hands after his daughter is brutally raped by racist rednecks, and the lawyer who defends him. 

A Time to Kill was barely published. An imprint of an obscure Christian press printed 5,000 copies, and Grisham implored local bookstores to stock it. The book attracted little notice, but Grisham was already at work on another he hoped would be more commercial: the tale of a Harvard-educated tax lawyer from a humble background who moves to Memphis to work for a mysterious firm, only to find himself caught between the Chicago Mob and the FBI. “I set the book in Memphis because I hadn’t been anywhere else,” Grisham tells me. “I was 33 years old. I’d never traveled anywhere.” (His only trip out of the country had been to the Cayman Islands, another locale that figures prominently in The Firm .) Locating the story in a sleepy Southern city also made it more plausible that a law firm whose attorneys have a habit of turning up dead could sidestep scrutiny. “People have always said, ‘Why’d you put the book in Memphis?’ Well, that’s kind of the story.”

The Firm still didn’t have a publisher when a Hollywood scout smuggled the manuscript to Los Angeles, sparking an improbable bidding war and a $600,000 contract with Paramount Pictures. By the time the book was published by Doubleday in 1991, it was hotly anticipated. Still, no one was prepared for what came next. “The book just started to sell immediately,” says Gernert, who was an editor at Doubleday before becoming Grisham’s agent. “I’ve never seen anything like it before or since. The very first day it hit the marketplace, I got back from lunch and I had all these messages saying it was flying out of the stores.” Gernert recalls walking down Fifth Avenue with Grisham, passing by multiple bookstores, and at each one, watching a customer pick the book up off the front table and take it to the register. “John turned to me and said, ‘Is this normal?’ And I said, ‘No!’” The book stayed on the bestseller list for nearly a year and sold more than seven million copies. 

From To Kill a Mockingbird to The Merchant of Venice , there have always been dramas about the legal system, points out Scott Turow, whose smash hit Presumed Innocent came out in 1987, helping to create the market for legal thrillers that Grisham cashed in on. Books like theirs were different partly in the way they focused on the personal lives of lawyers. The Firm had a separate publicity campaign dedicated to the legal profession, and many of Grisham’s readers are attorneys. (While reporting this story, I learned for the first time that my own brother, a lawyer in Denver, entered the field in part because of a Grisham book he read in high school.) Turow believes such books struck a nerve in an era when authority was no longer unquestionable, and issues once considered unspeakable were being put up for debate. “In the world I grew up in, in the 1950s, father knew best and you didn’t talk about religion or politics at the dinner table,” Turow tells me. Once that changed, “for better or worse, the courts emerged as the arbiter of values.”

It was on the publicity tour for The Firm , Grisham tells me, that he picked up a bit of wisdom that would define his career: he overheard a publishing executive mention that the biggest authors—Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, Sidney Sheldon—tended to release a book every year. “It should be obvious to someone like me, who’s a big reader, somebody who wants to write bestsellers, but I’d never thought about that,” Grisham says. “And I thought, that makes a lot of sense. I want to be a big writer. So I hustled back to the farm in Oxford and finished The Pelican Brief in no time.”

Grisham tells the story with charming humility, as a series of lucky breaks for which he’s everlastingly grateful. But it is also a story of the purest type of publishing success: a book by a nobody that succeeded almost entirely on its own merits. The Firm changed everything for Grisham. He left the law and never looked back. A Time to Kill was reprinted and became another hit. For years, he and his wife, Renee, would refer to “BF” and “AF”—before The Firm and after The Firm . But it was his discipline and consistency in the subsequent years that made him enduringly rich and famous.

In the wake of his meteoric success, Grisham was determined to guard his privacy. After a few years in Oxford, Miss., he moved his family to a large plot of land outside Charlottesville, Va., and has been there ever since. (He and Renee also split their time between several other properties. Writing has made Grisham very rich.) Due to the solitary nature of the profession, even the world’s most famous writer rarely gets recognized in public. Grisham likes it that way. “It’s the perfect degree of fame,” he tells me as we walk down the street in Memphis. “I tell people I’m a famous writer in a country where nobody reads.”

Grisham’s routine hasn’t changed in many years. Starting on Jan. 1, he holes up in an outbuilding on his property to begin writing that year’s legal thriller. Beginning around 7 a.m., he types on a computer disconnected from the internet, typically writing about 1,000 words per day. He begins by going over the previous day’s work, and he is usually done by noon. He works from an extensive outline. “When I write the first scene in January, I know what the last scene is going to be,” he says. “That takes some work to get there. But if you know that, it’s really hard to get lost.” In addition to the annual legal thriller, he sometimes puts out a second book he was moved to write that year.

All he ever wanted, Grisham says, was to make a living. Had writing not proved a path to that goal, as is the case for most aspiring writers, he doubts he would have continued in legislative politics, but he imagines he would have run for judge. “A judgeship was financial security,” he says. “I had a nice base politically in my home county, and I had served as a city judge in my hometown and liked that.” Under a Democratic President, Clinton or more likely Obama, he thinks he could have then successfully lobbied for a federal judgeship.

Politics, Grisham says, separated him from his conservative Southern Baptist upbringing, as white Southern churches in the Moral Majority era became increasingly affiliated with right-wing Republicanism. Today he is a loyal Democrat—Renee was a Hillary Clinton superdelegate in 2008—who is getting more liberal as he ages, particularly when it comes to issues of race. For years, he tells me, he resisted the idea of taking down Confederate statues, but lately he’s had a change of heart. “Over time I’ve come to realize how offensive that would be to a Black person, to have to drive by Robert E. Lee’s statues,” he says. “Growing up in the South, the war is so horribly romanticized. It’s taken a while to realize how bad that was.” Grisham was in high school when his Mississippi district became the last one in the state to integrate, 16 years after Brown v. Board of Education .

In 2016, Grisham assumed Donald Trump would never appeal to the moralistic Christian conservatives he grew up with. “Boy, was I wrong.“ He worries that the constant drama that keeps the former President on the front page is bad for America and the Democratic Party alike. A passionate advocate for the wrongfully convicted and opponent of the death penalty, he sits on the board of the Innocence Project and speaks frequently about criminal-justice issues. But he doesn’t tweet or otherwise wade into the public discourse. “He’s your basic good guy, low-key, relaxed, but with a strong social conscience and equally strong opinions,” his longtime friend Stephen King tells me in an email. “We both get sent books for blurbs. About one—I won’t say which one—he cried indignantly, ‘It’s a train wreck!’ And he was right.”

Grisham walks down Memphis’s Union Avenue and turns the corner onto Front Street, past the Cotton Exchange, where Mitch, in The Firm , meets his accomplice Tammy as they’re planning his turn against his mob-front law firm. There’s a plaque on the wall of the stately old stone building: JOHN GRISHAM, it reads in raised bronze letters, accompanied by several lines of text about his smash success and connection to the city.

“I had nothing to do with it!” Grisham says of the plaque. The mayor at the time showed up at one of his marathon book signings with a proclamation, eager to grab a piece of Grisham’s exploding fame for the city. (Was this the book signing where he had to put his arm in an ice bucket every few hours? Or the one where, meeting a man who called himself Memphis’s first Black chiropractor, Grisham had the fan accompany him backstage to crack his back so he could go on signing? Or the one where he learned a woman several hours from the front of the line had gone into labor and dashed back to sign her book so she could go to the hospital, or the one the following year where the same woman came back with her baby? Eventually, he had to stop doing signings altogether.)

Many scenes in The Firm are set at the Peabody hotel, a Memphis landmark that pops up in other Grisham novels as well. Grisham had his senior prom here, in 1973, and his sister-in-law was married here. The hotel is known for the ducks that spend the day swimming in its lobby fountain, a tradition that stems from a manager’s drunken stashing of his live decoys in the 1930s. Today the ducks are trained to walk a red carpet to the fountain from the elevator in an elaborate, twice-daily “ceremony,” attended by a full time “duckmaster” and a large crowd of tourists. The whole hotel is duck-themed, from the logo to the duck-shaped soaps in the guest rooms. Nothing could be more Southern, it seems to me, than to take a drunken prank and sacralize it into a hallowed tradition.

In The Exchange , Mitch returns to Memphis on a legal errand and stays at the Peabody, sending the 41-year-old on a trip down memory lane that serves as a flashback summary of the first novel’s plot. Mitch seeks out the building that housed his old firm, only to find that it has “been renovated, renamed, and was now packed with condos advertising views of the river.” Rounding the corner, Grisham and I come upon the building. This one boasts no commemorative plaque. Sure enough, a sign on the first story boasts, “All New Luxury Apartments!”

Other than the brief trip to Memphis, the sequel has little connection to the plot of The Firm . The early pilgrimage to Memphis turns out to be a red herring; Mitch never returns. “It was a big issue in the story,” Grisham says of the Memphis detour. He wrote the scene there intending to take it out, he says, but his inner circle of first readers—Renee, Gernert, his publisher Suzanne Herz—enjoyed it too much to let it go. 

The Exchange takes place largely in New York City, where Mitch is a partner at a massive international law firm, and Gaddafi’s Libya, where he goes on behalf of a client, only for things to go awry. The backstory that lent tension to the young striver of the first book has been ironed flat: Mitch’s outlaw brother and mentally ill mother are offstage, living peacefully in Florida; the in-laws who once tormented him now help out with the kids. Though Mitch gets entangled in high-stakes international intrigue, nobody sees fit to even mention that his unusual past might have something to do with it, and indeed it does not. We even learn that Mitch lived for several years in Italy, yet the Mafia whose grasp he barely escaped in the first book is nowhere to be found. There are enough undropped shoes to fill a closet. I kept turning pages, expecting a twist that never came. This version of Mitch seems less like the character from The Firm and more like a generic action hero—a Tom Cruise character. And the ending feels less like a resolution than a cliffhanger, a cheap setup for the next sequel. Publisher’s Weekly called The Exchange “disappointing” and “a letdown.”

I tell Grisham I found the book perplexing. “I kept thinking the Mob was going to come back,” I say. He and I are talking in the Peabody’s History Room, a memorabilia-lined chamber down the hall from the ballroom where he had his senior prom.

Grisham, in his disarming way, agrees with me. “That’s the biggest problem with the book,” he says, with more zeal than distress, as if congratulating me for solving a puzzle. “Fifteen years later, where’s the Mafia? That’s a huge problem.” Here he is, arguably the most famous writer in America, basically admitting that his new book makes no sense, yet he does so merrily—with the good humor, perhaps, of an author who knows he’s essentially review-proof. It’s a Grisham book; people will buy it; people will enjoy it, flaws and all; who am I to take that from them?

“The Mob never forgets,” Grisham continues, making my critique for me. “I mean, he stole a bunch of money from them!” The Exchange does a decent job of explaining what happened to Mitch’s old partners at Bendini, Lambert and Locke, but they were only the Mob’s lawyers, he continues. “The Chicago Mob’s still there. And I lost sleep over that, and talked to David, my agent, a lot about, you know, is this plausible? [Mitch is] walking down the streets of Manhattan like he doesn’t have a care in the world. He’s at a big law firm. Is his life really that safe? I decided to let it slide and see how many people comment on it. I think it works as is. But you do have that nagging question.” 

Grisham says he cannot bear to read his old books, which may account for some of the puzzling discontinuity in The Exchange . In his young-adult series, Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer , he was constantly having mistakes spotted by 10-year-olds, he tells me. Embarrassed, he hired someone to read the books for him. Even his staunchest supporters don’t try to claim he’s a great writer. John Evans, the proprietor of Lemuria Books in Jackson, Miss., another of the independent bookstores Grisham has helped keep in business since the 1990s, tells me that Grisham’s charm is his unpretentiousness. “He doesn’t make any pretense that it’s a literary novel, and that has a charm to it,” Evans tells me. “He wants them to be read and enjoyed, and he’s not trying to do anything other than that.”

For Grisham, who owes his career to The Firm , returning to the material was a daunting prospect. “I was afraid to bring Mitch back because, you know, he’ll always be the guy in my first big book,” he says. “At the same time, you can’t take this stuff too serious. Let’s bring him back and have some fun. I like the story, now that it’s done. And there’s a possibility of doing it again."— With reporting by Julia Zorthian

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All John Grisham Books In Order (+Printable Booklist)

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I must admit, I’ve been hooked on John Grisham ever since his first novel, A Time To Kill , was published in 1989. He’s now written quite a few books, so this list of John Grisham books in order will help you keep track of them all.

If you love legal thrillers, then you’re in for a treat. Because the majority of the books that John Grisham has written (and what he is the most well-known for) have been legal thrillers.

Most Recent + Upcoming John Grisham Book Releases

• The Boys From Biloxi – 2022
• The Exchange: After the Firm – October 17, 2023

The Firm Series

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This list of all of John Grisham’s books in order of publication by series is separated into 10 different sections or groupings as follows, and in this order:

• The Firm series
• John Grisham’s standalone books
• Camino Island series
• Jake Brigance series
• Lacy Stoltz series
• John Grisham’s non-fiction books
• Anthologies
• Theodore Boone series (kids books)
• The Firm – 1991
• The Exchange: After The Firm – Oct 17, 2023

The vast majority of the books that John Grisham has written are standalone novels, meaning that the stories are not connected to each other in any way.

• The Pelican Brief – 1992
• The Client – 1993
• The Chamber – 1994
• The Rainmaker – 1995
• The Runaway Jury – 1996
• The Partner – 1997
• The Street Lawyer – 1998
• The Testament – 1999
• The Brethren – 2000
• A Painted House – 2000
• Skipping Christmas – 2001
• The Summons – 2002
• The King Of Torts – 2002
• Bleachers – 2003
• The Last Juror – 2003
• The Broker – 2004
• Playing For Pizza – 2007
• The Appeal – 2007
• The Associate – 2009
• The Confession – 2010
• The Litigators – 2011
• Calico Joe – 2012
• The Racketeer – 2012
• Gray Mountain – 2014
• Rogue Lawyer – 2015
• The Rooster Bar – 2017
• The Reckoning – 2018
• The Guardians – 2019
• Sooley – 2021

• Camino Island – 2017
• Camino Winds – 2020

• Ford County – 2009
• Sparring Partners – 2022

• A Time To Kill – 1989
• Sycamore Row – 2013
• A Time For Mercy – 2020

• Witness To A Trial (Novella) – 2016
• The Whistler – 2016
• The Judge’s List – 2021

The Innocent Man – 2006

Don’t Quit Your Day Job – 2010

• Fetching Raymond – 2011
• The Tumor – 2015
• Partners – 2016

I absolutely love the fact that John Grisham has written a kid’s legal thriller series. This series features Theodore Boone, a 13-year-old boy who may know more about the law than the adult lawyers he knows.

These books are recommended reading material for kids 10+ years of age.

• Kid Lawyer – 2010
• The Abduction – 2010
• The Accused – 2012
• The Activist – 2013
• The Fugitive – 2015
• The Scandal – 2015
• The Accomplice – 2019

Are you familiar with John Grisham’s background?

I, personally, am fascinated by the lawyer-to-author story. I know John Grisham is not the only author that can probably claim this type of background.

However, to start your career as a lawyer with absolutely no intention or desire to write novels, and then ultimately go on to write (as of this time) forty-seven consecutive #1 bestsellers which have been translated into almost 50 languages, is remarkable.

If that’s not enough of an accomplishment, some of his more recent books are being developed into HBO limited series, and of course, some of his earlier books were already adapted into movies.

John Grisham has said that he only decided to write the first book after witnessing a particular trial and that had he not been a lawyer witnessing that trial, he would have never written a single novel. So, in case you’ve read A Time To Kill and didn’t know this – it was inspired by a real actual court case.

FAQs About John Grisham Books In Order

The majority of the books written by John Grisham are standalone novels and can be read in any order. The books in The Firm series should be read in order of publication as shown above. That means you should read The Firm first, and The Exchange: After The Firm second. Then, there are several other series or groups of books that are all related to each other, and these should be read in the order of publication. These are the Camino Island books, the Jake Brigance books, and the Lacey Stoltz books.

As of this writing, the latest book already published was The Boys From Biloxi in 2022. The next expected release is in October 2023 and the title is The Exchange: After The Firm.

The second book that was written by John Grisham, The Firm, is probably his most well-known novel and is considered one of his best. It was the first of his books to become a bestseller, and it also inspired a movie adaptation starring Tom Cruise.

John Grisham’s first book was A Time To Kill.

If you like legal thrillers and don’t have any idea what to read next, John Grisham is a great option.

I would recommend starting with A Time To Kill , the very first John Grisham book and one that was inspired by a real court case. Then, if you want to keep going, I suggest reading The Firm next, his second book and the one that really launched his hugely successful career as an author.

Do you already have an opinion about which are the best John Grisham books? If not, I hope this list of books by John Grisham will help you find one.

Just in case you prefer to “listen” to your books rather than read them, here’s a nice opportunity to try Audible free for 30 Days.

Is this your first visit to Looks Like Books? If so, be sure and check out my  About  page so you can learn a little more about me and my Looks Like Books mission.

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Mary Emmer, is the founder of Looks Like Books. She is an avid book enthusiast and self-employed entrepreneur, with an inspiring passion for reading and learning.  With a background in the travel industry spanning four decades, Mary has cultivated a diverse range of experiences that have shaped her unique perspective on life and storytelling.  More about Mary .

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Why are Camino Island and Camino Winds left out of the “list of Grisham books in order”.

Hi, they are there! Move down a little bit in the post. Those 2 books are separated out into their own section since they are related to one another. There are some other ones separated out too, so don’t miss any towards the bottom of the post 🙂

I absolutely love the way you did all those in order do you have all James patterson titles like this as well thanks again

Thanks, Hollie! I’m glad you liked the list. I’m working on one for James Patterson 🙂 Keep an eye on the blog! I should have that post up soon.

Comments are closed.

New true stories of wrongful convictions from John Grisham and Jim McCloskey.

Framed astonishing true stories of wrongful convictions.

In his first work of nonfiction since The Innocent Man , #1 bestselling author John Grisham and Centurion Ministries Founder Jim McCloskey share ten harrowing true stories of wrongful convictions. Impeccably researched and grippingly told, Framed offers an inside look at the injustice faced by the victims of the United States criminal justice system. A fundamental principle of our legal system is a presumption of innocence, but once someone has been found guilty there is very little room to prove doubt. Framed shares ten true stories of men who were innocent but found guilty and forced to sacrifice friends, families, wives, and decades of their lives to prison while the guilty parties remained free. In each of the stories, John Grisham and Jim McCloskey recount the dramatic hard-fought battles for exoneration. They take a close look at what leads to wrongful convictions in the first place, and the racism, misconduct, flawed testimony, and the corrupt court system that can make them so hard to reverse. Told with page-turning suspense as only John Grisham can deliver, Framed is the story of overcoming adversity when the battle already seems lost, and the deck is stacked against you.

Available October 8, 2024 | Preorder Now

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The Last Juror: A Novel Hardcover – Large Print, February 3, 2004

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• Print length 592 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Random House Large Print
• Publication date February 3, 2004
• Dimensions 6.35 x 1.22 x 9.5 inches
• ISBN-10 0375433074
• ISBN-13 978-0375433078
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From the inside flap.

But in Mississippi in 1970, "life" didn't necessarily mean "life," and nine years later Danny Padgitt managed to get himself paroled. He returned to Ford County, and the retribution began.

About the Author

Product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Random House Large Print; Large Print Edition (February 3, 2004)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 592 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0375433074
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0375433078
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.94 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.35 x 1.22 x 9.5 inches
• #29,120 in Murder Thrillers
• #29,849 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction
• #81,763 in Suspense Thrillers

About the author

John grisham.

John Grisham is the author of forty-seven consecutive #1 bestsellers, which have been translated into nearly fifty languages. His recent books include The Boys From Biloxi, The Judge's List, Sooley, and his third Jake Brigance novel, A Time for Mercy, which is being developed by HBO as a limited series.

Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.

When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.

John lives on a farm in central Virginia.

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