The Runaway Jury is a legal thriller by noted author John Grisham. It takes place in Biloxi, Mississippi where a widow, backed by a rather powerful cadre of lawyers, has recently filed suit against a tobacco company claiming their cigarettes killed her husband by giving him lung cancer. While not necessarily an unusual lawsuit there has yet to be a win of this type against a tobacco company. Both sides work on marshaling their forces, and their arguments, as the trial looms nearer. When jury selection approaches they investigate the jury pool in hopes of finding sympathetic jurors. However, one potential juror in particular seems to have them confused. Nicholas Easter has almost no background or biographical information available beyond the fact he only recently moved to town. When he winds up in the jury they don’t know what to think. He becomes a conundrum that only worsens when the team for the tobacco companies, led by a man known as Fitch, are contacted by a woman calling herself Marlee who seems to have the inside track on the actions of the jury. It gets yet again more mysterious when the judge decides to sequester the jury which prevents all outside contact.
I have actually read this particular book a couple of times now and I must say that every time I find myself mildly disturbed by the shenanigans perpetrated behind the scenes of the trial, on both sides at times. Intellectually, I know those kinds of things really do take place but to find it laid out so baldly and realistically really makes it hit home. Grisham really knows how to tell a story while also revealing the somewhat, if not outright, dark and seedy side of the legal system. What was interesting is how Marlee was stringing along the two sides of the trial, one side more than the other, while also stringing along the reader. It’s not until almost the very end that it starts revealing what is actually going on behind the scenes. I found myself wondering the whole time what her end goal was and why she was doing these things. It makes for a story that drags you in and makes you want to follow along in order to find out. I will admit that there were a few minor things that I felt were a little lacking and that was the characterization. We get a pretty decent glimpse into Fitch and to a lesser extent the opposing lawyer, Rohr, but I feel like we don’t really get to know either Nicholas or Marlee very well. They remain as mysterious as their motivation and while this does heighten the mystery element at play, I am still not entirely sure that I like it. Either way this was a great book and I am happy giving it four out of five stars.
A great example of a legal thriller from probably one of the best authors in the genre. If you like thrillers, specifically legal thrillers, or are already a fan of Grisham then you really should consider trying this one. Be prepared to be mildly disturbed by the realities of the legal system though, I know I was. Luckily there wasn’t really anything else to potentially be disturbed by except for some minor adult references. While this is aimed at adult readers I could see it being read by older teenagers fairly easily. A good book that is worth the consideration so I hope you will try it if it sounds appealing. If you do, consider sharing your thoughts in the comments.