John Grisham published his first novel in 1989, and while he has become known for his legal thrillers, Grisham’s best books encompass more than just thrilling page turners. Grisham worked as a lawyer and a politician before becoming a writer full-time, and he draws on much of his own experience to craft his fictional tales alongside his knack for mysteries and thrill-rides.
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Grisham has published more than 50 books in his career, including crime fiction, non-fiction, juvenile fiction, and volumes of short stories. Several of his books have also been adapted for movies and television over the years. Grisham’s best books are able to balance their thrills with heart and, often, societal issues as well. All of the best Grisham books are page-turners, but can also be stories of emotional catharsis, and ones that often speak to deeper issues.
You are watching: The 20 Best John Grisham Books Of All Time Ranked
20
Rogue Lawyer (2015)
The Main Character Is One Of Grisham’s Most Unique Lawyers
Because John Grisham has set so many stories in the area of his expertise, sometimes, the lawyers can start to blend together. Many of his lawyer characters feature a lot of the same characteristics, are the same personality type even. That is not the case in Rogue Lawyer, which really helps the 2015 novel to stand out from all the legal thrillers Grisham has penned over the years.
Rogue Lawyer’s central character is Sebastian Rudd, who even goes as far as to call himself “not a very good lawyer” in the novel when his methods are questioned. Rudd operates out of a custom-built van because he doesn’t like the pretentiousness of most law offices. He also takes on the clients that no one else wants, defending everyone from corrupt law enforcement officials to possible terrorists. He really believes in the nature of his job, that everyone, no matter what they are accused of, deserves a fair shake.
That alone is enough to make the book interesting, but a police officer’s kidnapped daughter, Rudd’s relationship with his ex, and a look into the grittier aspects of the legal system all make this book worthwhile.
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19
A Painted House (2001)
A Well-Crafted Coming-Of-Age Novel
Grisham is best known for his vast catalog of legal thrillers. Legal thrillers, however, are not the only books Grisham writes. He has dabbled in other avenues of fiction, including this more general tale.
Set in the 1950s, A Painted House follows a little boy who lives on a cotton farm in Arkansas, the same state where Grisham himself grew up. The little boy finds himself growing up quickly as “hill people” and workers from Mexico are added to the staff at the family farm, immersing him in whole new relationship dynamics he has never seen before.
While the novel is much slower paced than his thrillers are, it is still a well-crafted coming-of-age story for a very young protagonist – he is only seven when the story starts. Those who find page-to-screen adaptations interesting will also want to note the novel was adapted into a movie with Logan Lerman just two years after it was published.
18
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer (2010)
Grisham Takes On Juvenile Readers
The book series is a hidden gem among Grisham’s grittier novels.
Again, just because John Grisham is known for his legal thrillers for adults does not mean he does not write in other areas. He has been able to use his legal knowledge to write novels for a much younger audience as well. His Theodore Boone novels, of which this is the first, are aimed at the 10-13 age group instead.
Theodore Boone is just 13 years old when the novels begin. He has grown up around the legal system and thinks of himself as a lawyer who can help investigate and uphold the law. He gets his chance in a real courtroom in this book, but not as a lawyer – as a witness in a high-profile murder trial.
The Theodore Boone books are great because they make a lot of legalese digestible for kids who might not know all of the technical terms. They also allow kids to see what a difference just one person – even a child – can make in the grand scheme of an investigation. The book series is a hidden gem among Grisham’s grittier novels.
17
The Racketeer (2012)
One Of Grisham’s Most Puzzling Novels
For those who have been reading John Grisham’s novels for years (especially by the time this one came out), they likely have a good handle on how the writer usually presents his mysteries. Knowing a writer’s style can make it easier for an experienced reader or fan to figure out the mystery.
While The Racketeer is, like so many Grisham novels, a legal thriller, it is also somewhat of a revenge thriller. The book follows former attorney Malcolm Bannister who finds himself in disgrace. That is because he is serving a 10-year sentence for a crime he did not actually commit. Bannister makes a deal with the FBI to get them the murderer of a judge and his secretary in exchange for his release.
This novel might sound like a straightforward Grisham mystery, but it is anything but. It is the most puzzle-like of his novels, giving the reader one twist after another as they try to put the pieces together themselves and figure out who the killer really is.
16
The Last Juror (2004)
A Series Of Small-Town Murders Speaks To A Larger Story
Grisham has quite a few novels set in small towns and quite a few set in Mississippi. That’s likely due to where he has lived in the past himself. The Last Juror features both of those ideas.
In a small town in Mississippi in the 1970s, a man is convicted of murder, and he vows revenge on those who put him away. When he is eventually released years later, members of the jury in his trial begin dying. Since he comes from a powerful local family, the town starts to live in the same fear they had leading up to his trial.
This novel, despite being published in 2004, feels like vintage Grisham. Though the murder mysteries are at the center of the story, they speak to a larger narrative about small towns and the families who have roots and power in them for decades. Many Grisham fans will argue that his ‘90s novels are his best, but this is one instance of his 2000’s novels living up to the hype.
15
Camino Island (2017)
Grisham Goes Full Criminal Mystery
This is the first of a series of novels set just off the coast of Florida on an island that features a picturesque resort and a whole lot of crime. Utilizing this particular location gives Grisham the great juxtaposition of beautiful atmosphere and ugly crimes, and it’s something he does well in other books as well, since he has several more novels set in sunny Florida.
Camino Island, and the three sequels to it, are a change of pace for Grisham. While they are still mysteries, they are more straight-up mysteries than they are legal thrillers like nearly all of Grisham’s books that come before them.
Here, the mystery involves the heist of a rare F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscript that winds up in the hands of a rare book dealer on Camino Island. A struggling writer is then asked to get close to the book dealer in order to learn more about the stolen pages. The mystery is a much lighter read than many of Grisham’s other mysteries, and that makes it a breath of fresh air.
14
The Whistler (2016)
A Lot Of Moving Parts Come Together Flawlessly
The Whistler has a lot of pieces that make up its larger mystery. There is money laundering by a mafia group, a fictional Native American tribal group’s casino providing the groundwork for criminal activity, a whistleblower working for a corrupt judge, and a Florida investigator whose life is put in danger as it all comes together. It sounds like too many pieces to put together a satisfying picture, but it all works.
Grisham’s The Whistler sees a member of the Florida Board on Judicial Conduct get a tip about a corrupt judge being linked to the “Coastal Mafia.” her investigation takes a dangerous turn when nefarious people learn about her work and put a hit out on her. This is one Grisham mystery that maintains a fast pace and will keep the reader turning those pages.
A TV series based on The Whistler was in development in 2021 but has yet to be produced.
13
The Street Lawyer (1998)
A Legal Thriller With An Exploration Of Social Justice
One of the great hallmarks of Grisham’s legal fiction is that the stories all have real-world implications. Sure, some of the more conspiracy-heavy books might seem far-fetched, but often, his stories pull from ideas concerning issues in the real American legal system. The Street Lawyer does that as well.
Here, a lawyer is taken hostage by an unhoused man. While the unhoused man dies during the incident, the lawyer’s life and career are changed. He begins to see how the system is not built equally for those who might not have a stable home, and he leaves his higher-profile job to work for an advocate for the unhoused instead.
While the story might seem like nothing more than a wake-up call for the main lawyer, Grisham still has plenty of twists and turns within the novel to keep his readers interested. A new twist or conflict pops up every time one is resolved.
12
The Innocent Man: Murder And Injustice In A Small Town (2006)
Grisham’s Non-Fiction Work Explores Wrongful Conviction
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The Innocent Man
TV-MA
DocumentaryCrime
The Innocent Man is a six-part documentary series released in 2018, based on John Grisham’s non-fiction book. It explores two 1980s murders in Ada, Oklahoma, and the ensuing controversial events, shedding light on issues within the criminal justice system.
Where to Watch
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Not available
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*Availability in US
Release Date
December 14, 2018
Cast
Geoffrey Russell
, Joe White
, Heather McPhaul
, Serena Michele Burns
, J.J. Arends
, Erik Anthony Russo
, Ryan David Ellis
, Kayleen Teresa Casey
, Guthrie Worthington
, Olivia de Boutray
, Garrett Davis
, Maura Antas
, James Walsh
, Kyle Williams
Creator(s)
J. Clay Tweel
Seasons
1
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Several of John Grisham’s fictional stories feature characters who are wrongfully convicted of a crime. The idea of someone trying to prove their innocence from behind bars makes for a compelling fictional story, but it is also a reality for a lot of people.
Grisham has always been committed, as a lawyer and a writer, to people getting a fair trial and of evidence being used even after a conviction to prove the truth. That is why he is involved in The Innocence Project, and it is why he wrote this non-fiction book.
The book marks Grisham’s first non-fiction book, though not his last. Initially, he wanted to be a writer to entertain, not inform, but the idea of innocent people behind bars is clearly something that has meant a lot to him to rectify. The book explains the story of Ronald ‘Ron’ Keith Williams, wrongly convicted of rape and murder in the ‘80s, only to be exonerated by DNA evidence 11 years later.
The book inspired a six-part docuseries on Netflix which helps to spotlight lesser-known true crime cases.
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11
The Judge’s List (2021)
A Rare Sequel Outshines The Original
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Grisham has a handful of novels that center around the same protagonists, but he never seems to return to the same characters for long. The Judge’s List allows him to do that as the sequel to The Whistler, returning the writer and his readers to Florida as Lacy Stoltz again investigates a corrupt judge with her investigation putting her life in danger.
The reason this one outranks the first novel is because of the relationship between Lacy and the antagonist, Judge Ross Bannick, this time around. There is a real cat-and-mouse dynamic to them because Bannick is such a powerful man who is clearly connected to several unsolved murders.
Fans of Grisham’s newer character will also be glad to note that Lacy’s story is very much left open-ended, so it is entirely possible he could revisit Lacy with another mystery.
10
The Guardians (2019)
The Truth Has To Be Uncovered Very Carefully Here
The Guardians is another instance of Grisham using his own involvement in things like The Innocence Project, which takes on the cases of those they believe have been wrongfully convicted, and uses his knowledge to craft a compelling story.
Here, a young lawyer is killed at his desk one night. Even after the case seemingly goes cold, one of the clients is convicted of his murder – a young Black man who ends up spending more than 20 years in prison fighting to prove his innocence. It is by reaching out to a group called Guardian Ministries for help that he finally begins to find people who believe in him. Things become complicated, however, when the lawyer (and minister) working his case begins to uncover what looks like a conspiracy.
The novel is so rich in its uncovering of the seemingly impossible layers to get an innocent person out of prison. Every step of the investigation reveals more of the truth, but it also reveals more danger and more potential for hardship for the lawyer. It’s a great fictional example of where the legal system can go wrong and who benefits when it does.
9
The Testament (1999)
A Lawyer Goes On An Adventure In The Amazon
While many of Grisham’s legal thrillers deal with criminal cases playing out in court, this novel takes a different turn. The Testament is kicked off by the last will and testament of a wealthy man. Instead of leaving anything to the family around him, he leaves everything to an illegitimate daughter none of them knew about who has been working as a missionary along the Amazon River in South America. A down-on-his-luck attorney is sent to track her down.
This is an unusual novel among Grisham’s legal stories. While it still features intelligent lawyers, stories of corruption, and a thrilling story, it also takes a more adventurous route. The reader is along for the trek as the lawyer finds himself facing trials of a more physical variety than he is used to.
8
The Partner (1997)
A Morally Gray Protagonist Keeps Things Interesting
Grisham usually tells his stories from the points of view of the idealists or those whose own ideas about the law have suddenly been changed. He takes a different approach in The Partner as the protagonist is certainly a criminal and operates in shades of gray.
The protagonist in question is Patrick Lanigan. He embezzles money from his law firm, fakes his own death, finds love, and is able to live as a free man for a few years before private investigators locate him in Brazil. Once found, he is placed on trial which could send him behind bars for years.
The story works because, despite the reader knowing that Patrick is in the wrong, they also see how much he loves the new woman in his life and how much he longs to be free to build a life with her. He is an interesting character despite unequivocally having done the wrong thing, and it makes it fun to see how his story plays out.
7
The Chamber (1994)
Hate Crimes Intertwine With Family History
It can be an uncomfortable read in some parts, but it’s also thought-provoking….
Because so many of Grisham’s novels are set in the Southern United States, some of the crimes presented within them are the result of hatred and racism. Themes of racism and history run through those novels to present a view of how lawyers work within those circumstances, and The Chamber does that, but with a twist.
Here, the lawyer is actually the grandson of the man he is trying to save from the gas chamber. His grandfather is a former Ku Klux Klan member convicted of a bombing that killed two Jewish children in 1967. As he works to examine the case, he is also confronted with his own family history.
It can be an uncomfortable read in some parts, but it’s also thought-provoking, as it is made clear that a man who would kill out of hate is not simply born that way.
6
The Runaway Jury (1996)
Everyone Wants To Manipulate Someone Else
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Runaway Jury
PG-13
DramaDocumentaryThriller
Runaway Jury (2003) is a legal thriller directed by Gary Fleder, based on John Grisham’s novel. The film follows a widow’s lawsuit against a powerful gun manufacturer after a shooting incident. John Cusack stars as a juror with hidden motives, with Gene Hackman playing a ruthless jury consultant and Dustin Hoffman as the prosecuting attorney. The film explores themes of corruption, justice, and manipulation within the American legal system.
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Release Date
January 16, 2003
Runtime
127 minutes
Cast
John Cusack
, Gene Hackman
, Dustin Hoffman
, Rachel Weisz
, Bruce Davison
, Bruce McGill
Director
Gary Fleder
Writers
John Grisham
, Brian Koppelman
, David Levien
, Rick Cleveland
, Matthew Chapman
The name of the game in this John Grisham book is manipulation. Nearly every character in the novel has a secret plan, a reason to manipulate those around them, and it’s fascinating to watch everyone playing games with one another.
The Runaway Jury focuses on the jury in a big trial involving a large tobacco company. One jury member is conspiring to control the outcome of the trial with the help of his girlfriend, but as the story unfolds, just who is manipulating who becomes even more interesting. Both the defense team and the plaintiff are willing to do just about anything to win this case – whether through legal or illegal means. The lengths that everyone goes to, and the twists and turns that follow, are what make this story so entertaining to read.
The Runaway Jury was adapted into a movie starring John Cusack.
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5
The Rainmaker (1995)
A Legal Battle Between David And Goliath
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The book is a pretty thorough takedown of the medical insurance industry…
The Rainmaker
PG-13
DramaCrimeThriller
The Rainmaker is a legal drama directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based on John Grisham’s novel. The film stars Matt Damon as Rudy Baylor, a young attorney taking on a powerful insurance company with the help of a paralegal, played by Danny DeVito. As Rudy faces off against an experienced defense lawyer, he aims to achieve justice for his clients while navigating the challenges of the legal system.
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Not available
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Release Date
November 21, 1997
Runtime
135 Minutes
Cast
Matt Damon
, Danny DeVito
, Claire Danes
, Jon Voight
, Mary Kay Place
, dean stockwell
, Teresa Wright
, Virginia Madsen
Director
Francis Ford Coppola
Writers
John Grisham
, Francis Ford Coppola
, Michael Herr
The Rainmaker is often regarded as one of Grisham’s most emotional books instead of a straight legal thriller. It takes on some of the problems with medical insurance in addition to being a legal drama.
The movie follows a young lawyer who has recently graduated from law school searching for a job. He ends up taking on a case pro bono in which a young leukemia patient has their claim denied by a big insurance company when seeking a bone marrow transplant. As the drama plays out, the young lawyer takes on the insurance company in court and the audience is treated to just how huge medical insurance corporations can make a profit at the expense of a customer’s life.
The book is a pretty thorough takedown of the medical insurance industry and a tearjerker Though the book has already been adapted for the big screen by Francis Ford Coppola with Matt Damon in the leading role, it is now being adapted as a television series.
4
A Time To Kill (1989)
A Case Divides A Town In The Deep South
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A Time to Kill
R
CrimeDocumentaryDramaThriller
In Canton, Mississippi, a young lawyer and his assistant defend a black man accused of murdering two white men who raped his ten-year-old daughter, inciting violent retaliation and revenge from the Ku Klux Klan.
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Release Date
July 24, 1996
Runtime
149 minutes
Cast
Matthew McConaughey
, Sandra Bullock
, Samuel L. Jackson
, Kevin Spacey
, Oliver Platt
, Charles S. Dutton
, Kiefer Sutherland
, Donald Sutherland
Director
Joel Schumacher
Writers
John Grisham
, Akiva Goldsman
A Time To Kill is John Grisham’s first published novel. Since it being published, he has been lucky enough to have at least one book come out almost every year – and most of them have gone on to become bestsellers.
The novel is set in the deep South and features a crime that divides the small town down mostly racial lines. A Black man is on trial for the murders of two white men who assaulted his 10-year-old daughter. The lawyer who takes on his defense feels the pressure from both sides of the community as he seeks to find out what really happened and see his client get a fair trial.
While some Grisham fans will likely regard his debut novel as the best, there are still a few of his books that are even better than his affecting first book. A Time To Kill set the standard for what Grisham’s books could be, and he has surpassed it.
3
The Client (1993)
A Child Seeks Out Protection From A Lawyer
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The Client
PG-13
CrimeDramaMystery
The Client is a legal thriller from director Joel Schumacher, based on John Grisham’s novel. The film stars Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones, centering around a young boy who becomes entangled in a dangerous legal battle after witnessing a lawyer’s suicide. Sarandon’s character, a determined attorney, seeks to protect him while Jones, a relentless prosecutor, aims to extract crucial information.
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Release Date
July 20, 1994
Runtime
119 Minutes
Cast
Susan Sarandon
, Tommy Lee Jones
, Brad Renfro
, Mary-Louise Parker
, Anthony LaPaglia
, J.T. Walsh
, Anthony Edwards
, Will Patton
Director
Joel Schumacher
Writers
John Grisham
, Akiva Goldsman
, Robert Getchell
The Client is one of Grisham’s oft-remembered books – and one of his best – because it combines so many disparate legal thriller elements and manages to make them work. The novel features a child trying to find protection for himself in the legal system, a lawyer whose ambition outweighs his sense of justice, the mafia using violence to protect their business, and a company using questionable environmental practices.
All of those pieces combine to create an impeccable story when an 11-year-old seeks out a lawyer to help him after witnessing a man attempt to take his own life. That man knows where the bodies are buried, and not just as a figure of speech. He confesses his own knowledge of the mafia’s local practices, which makes the boy and his little brother targets for criminals and investigators.
The book is a great example of how to weave so many elements together without overwhelming the reader.
The Client has been adapted twice – once as a movie and once as a television series.
2
The Pelican Brief (1992)
A Law Student Accidentally Uncovers A Conspiracy
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The Pelican Brief
PG-13
CrimeDocumentaryDramaMysteryThriller
The Pelican Brief is a legal thriller starring Julia Roberts as law student Darby Shaw, who uncovers a conspiracy that links the murders of two Supreme Court justices. Based on John Grisham’s novel, the film follows her tense journey with investigative reporter Gray Grantham, played by Denzel Washington.
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Release Date
September 17, 1993
Runtime
141 minutes
Cast
Julia Roberts
, Denzel Washington
, Sam Shepard
, John Heard
, Tony Goldwyn
, James Sikking
Director
Alan J. Pakula
Writers
John Grisham
, Alan J. Pakula
Most of Grisham’s legal thrillers focus on lawyers who are already established in their careers. Some of them are washed up while others are trying to find meaning in their work. This time around, however, the main character is actually a law student.
Darby Shaw writes up a legal brief for class that speculates about the reason for the assassination of two Supreme Court justices. When she does it, it turns out she is not far off, and she accidentally exposes a conspiracy. Her document becomes known as the “Pelican Brief,” hence the title of the novel, as she seeks out help and protection.
When the book (and later movie adaptation) was released in the ‘90s, some dismissed the ideas presented as wild fantasies, but the way of the conspiracy here is actually much more common in thriller novels today and even in big-budget action movies. Grisham was really ahead of his time.
The Pelican Brief was adapted for the big screen with Julia Roberts in one of the lead roles. Despite being early in her career, it’s still considered one of Roberts’ best movies.
1
The Firm (1991)
A Lawyer’s New Job Is Too Good To Be True
Close
The Firm
R
DramaMysteryThriller
The Firm is a legal thriller directed by Sydney Pollack, based on John Grisham’s novel. It stars Tom Cruise as Mitch McDeere, a young lawyer who joins a prestigious law firm only to discover its dark secrets. As McDeere delves deeper, he finds himself entangled in a web of corruption and danger. The film features a strong supporting cast including Gene Hackman and Jeanne Tripplehorn.
Where to Watch
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Not available
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Release Date
June 30, 1993
Runtime
154 minutes
Cast
Jeanne Tripplehorn
, Hal Holbrook
, Holly Hunter
, Ed Harris
, Gary Busey
, Gene Hackman
, Tom Cruise
, wilford brimley
Director
Sydney Pollack
Writers
Robert Towne
, David Rayfiel
, David Rabe
, John Grisham
The Firm was only John Grisham’s second published novel, so some might wonder how it could possibly be the best when he has been writing for over 30 years since. While John Grisham has made a variety of tropes found in legal fiction and thrillers work for him, The Firm was published before audiences were able to predict how his stories would turn out. It also combines some of the best elements found in the other novels here with an emotional storyline, a big conspiracy, and a weighty mystery.
This is the first time that Grisham finds the balance between thriller and legal fiction, and it becomes his trademark.
The novel follows a young lawyer as he joins a prestigious firm that offers so many perks that it seems to good to be true. Indeed, it is, as he unearths proof of the firm’s involvement in several criminal activities, including money laundering. This is the first time that Grisham finds the balance between thriller and legal fiction, and it becomes his trademark.
Tom Cruise starred in a movie adaptation of the novel, and it is widely considered one of the best John Grisham adaptations. Many of his stories have made it to the screen, but The Firm might just be the best. It is certainly the best John Grisham novel.
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