The Summons
by John Grisham
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Book Summary Information
Author: John GrishamEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-09-27
ISBN: 0385339593
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: Delta
Book Reviews of The Summons
Book Review: Grisham Does It Again
Summary: 5 Stars
John Grisham's novel, The Summons was a page turner from start to finish. Ray Atlee is summoned, along with his drug-addicted brother, Forrest, to their father's home to read his will. However, when Ray arrives his father is dead, and a large amount of money is found by Ray. There is no mention of the money and the will and is a secret to everyone else, or so Ray thinks.
The Summons is an exciting book that follows Ray as he tries to keep the secret of his money. Grisham moves the plot slowly which adds to the suspense of the story. Grisham also highlights Ray's problems in keeping the money a secret, which adds to the depth of the plot and the overall suspense. The plot had a lot of twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout the story.
There weren't too many major characters in the book, which made the few main characters in the story more likeable, and I found myself rooting for them. Grisham also does a good job of describing the people and scenery of Clanton, Mississippi, the fictional town in which most of the novel takes place. The slow plot was hard to get over, but after a certain point the plot got rolling and the last hundred pages of the book were exceptionally enthralling. I recommend The Summons to anyone that is a fan of Grisham or a lover of thrilling books.
Summary of The Summons
Once Judge Atlee was a powerful figure in Clanton, Mississippi--a pillar of the community who towered over local law and politics for forty years. Now the judge is a shadow of his former self, a sick, lonely old man who has withdrawn to his sprawling ancestral home. Knowing 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 eldest, a Virginia law professor, newly single and still enduring the aftershocks of a surprise divorce. Forrest is Ray?s younger brother, who redefines the notion of a 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 where he grew up and 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 someone else.
From the Paperback edition.
Law professor Ray Atlee and his prodigal brother, Forrest, are summoned home to Clanton, Mississippi, by their ailing father to discuss his will. But when Ray arrives the judge is already dead, and the one-page document dividing his meager estate between the two sons seems crystal clear. What it doesn't mention, however, is the small fortune in cash Ray discovers hidden in the old man's house--$3 million he can't account for and doesn't mention to brother Forrest, either.
Ray's efforts to keep his find a secret, figure out where it came from, and hide it from a nameless extortioner, who seems to know more about it than he does, culminate in a denouement with an almost biblical twist. It's a slender plot to hang a thriller on, and in truth it's not John Grisham's best in terms of pacing, dramatic tension, and interesting characters (except for Harry Rex, a country lawyer who was the judge's closest friend and in many ways is the father Ray wishes he'd had. He's so vivid he jumps off the page). But Grisham's legions of fans are likely to enjoy The Summons even if it lacks the power of some of his classic earlier books, like The Firm, The Brethren, and The Testament. --Jane Adams
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