The Widow: A Novel

Our Review:

This one grabbed me from the start and didn't let go until well past my bedtime. Grisham does something a little different here — it's less courtroom drama and more straight-up whodunit, with a small-town lawyer who gets tangled up in a case that could destroy his life. Simon Latch is the kind of protagonist you root for immediately: scrappy, underpaid, dealing with a crumbling marriage, and suddenly in way over his head when a wealthy widow walks through his door.

What I loved most was the pacing. Grisham knows exactly when to drop a revelation and when to let the tension simmer. The rural Virginia setting feels lived-in rather than quaint, and there's a satisfying messiness to how the mystery unfolds — you're piecing things together alongside Simon, second-guessing yourself the whole way.

If you're coming to this expecting a traditional legal thriller with extended trial scenes, adjust your expectations slightly. The courtroom stuff is there, but the heart of the book is really Simon racing to clear his name before it's too late. It's propulsive, well-plotted, and genuinely hard to put down. A great pick for a weekend when you want something that moves fast and keeps you guessing.