John Grisham's five novels -- A Time To Kill, The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client , and The Chamber -- have been number one best-sellers, and have a combined total of 47 million copies in print. Now, in The Rainmaker , Grisham returns to the courtroom for the first time since A Time To Kill , and weaves a riveting tale of legal intrigue and corporate greed. Combining suspense, narrative momentum, and humor as only John Grisham can, this is another spellbinding read from the most popular author of our time.
Grisham's sixth spellbinding novel of legal intrigue and corporate greed displays all of the intricate plotting, fast-paced action, humor, and suspense that have made him the most popular author of our time. In his first courtroom thriller since A Time To Kill , John Grisham tells the story of a young man barely out of law school who finds himself taking on one of the most powerful, corrupt, and ruthless companies in America -- and exposing a complex, multibillion-dollar insurance scam. In hs final semester of law school Rudy Baylor is required to provide free legal advice to a group of senior citizens, and it is there that he meets his first "clients," Dot and Buddy Black. Their son, Donny Ray, is dying of leukemia, and their insurance company has flatly refused to pay for his medical treatments. While Rudy is at first skeptical, he soon realizes that the Blacks really have been shockingly mistreated by the huge company, and that he just may have stumbled upon one of the largest insurance frauds anyone's ever seen -- and one of the most lucrative and important cases in the history of civil litigation. The problem is, Rudy's flat broke, has no job, hasn't even passed the bar, and is about to go head-to-head with one of the best defense attorneys -- and powerful industries -- in America.
From the Hardcover edition.
Amazon.com Review
The supple voice and deft narrative skills of Frank Muller are an excellent match for this tremendously popular courtroom thriller. With subtle vocal changes, accents, and thoughtful interpretation, Muller helps elevate the drama and suspense of this fascinating tale, which pits a small-time rookie lawyer against the power and influence of a corrupt insurance company. Muller's talent gives life to the entire cast: from apathetic law students to slippery corporate lawyers and heartbroken senior citizens. "It's simple... they're a bunch of crooks," exclaims the young lawyer's first clients, an elderly couple bitter over being swindled. "They think we're simple, ignorant trash with no money to fight 'em." Battling his instinct to agree, he sets out to defend their rightful claims and finds himself enmeshed in a suspenseful case of ruthless intimidation and deadly criminal behavior. (Running time: 17 hours, 12 cassettes) --George Laney
From Publishers Weekly
Grisham's intricate, spellbinding sixth novel differs from his last few?it's his only book with first-person narration and his first since his debut to be set in a courtroom?but the trademark Grisham touches are in place. Rookie attorney Rudy Baylor is the customary David fighting a legal Goliath (here a multibillion-dollar insurance company), and the suspense builds with impeccable pacing despite workaday prose. When the modestly sized law firm that contracted for his future services unexpectedly merges with a tony Ivy League firm, Rudy finds himself without a job and bankrupt. Filing a $10 million lawsuit takes away some of the sting, as does a lonely elderly woman's offer of low rent on a small apartment in exchange for rewriting her will. To make a living, Rudy finds himself chasing ambulances for a racketeering shyster, leading to his becoming enthralled with a beautiful young woman hospitalized by her husband's murderous attack. When Rudy agrees to represent the parents of a dying 22-year-old denied insurance coverage for a bone-marrow transplant, he finds that he is up against the firm that broke contract with him. Melding the courtroom savvy of A Time to Kill with the psychological nuance of The Chamber, imbued with wry humor and rich characters, this bittersweet tale, the author's quietest and most thoughtful, shows that Grisham's imagination can hold its own in a courtroom as well as on the violent streets outside. Major ad/promo; large-print edition, ISBN 0-385-47512-8; audio rights to BDD Audio.
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