Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant and mature
Review: Grisham has tried his hand at most genres: thrillers, mystery, literary, writings with an obvious legal bent. And it seems that all of his experimentation and soul-searching has finally come to fruition, for THE LAST JUROR is somewhat a combination of all of his styles, settings, and talent. As with all novels set in the South, THE JUROR is full of colorful characters, great atmosphere, tension, and a sense of intrigue. But while the characters are colorful and easily identifiable, they're not cardboard cut-outs--they're real people with depth and feeling. Grisham has always been one of the best writers out there, but this time he's surpased anything done so far. This is a fine book, full of mature writing by one of America's best-known authors. It should not be missed.Also recommended: The Life of Pi, Bark of the Dogwood, The Five People you Meet in Heaven
Rating: 
Summary: Part sociology, part mystery (4.5 stars)
Review: Probably the best part of "The Last Juror" is the author's capture of life in the deep South in 1970: its slowness, the bypassing of modernity, the overindulgence in good bourbon to get through the day, the corrupt political system, the influence of powerful families, the racial divide, etc. But this placid way of life is harshly disrupted when a son, Danny, of the powerful, insulated crime family, the Padgitt's, that has dominated rural Ford county for decades, is accused of rape and murder. It is also the opportunity for the newly arrived Willie Traynor, fresh from dropping out of an "Ivy League"college after five uninspiring years and the surprising new owner (even to him) via his kindly grandmother of the county newspaper in serious decline, to make something of himself. The Ford County Times dramatically increases circulation as it follows the Padgitt affair. The author follows Willie and his ad hoc assemblage of employees and his dealings with courthouse hanger-ons. By far the most interesting part of the book beyond the murder and its fallout is the relationship that Willie developes with the Ruffin family of the Lowdown section of town, especially with the matriarch, Miss Callie. Willie draws strength from the resolve of that family in overcoming the racial barriers of the South in those times. The last chapter of the Padgitt affair begins with the release of Danny after only serving nine years of a life sentence. Everyone's worst fears are realized when a series of what seems to be revenge murders begins. The author brings the threads of Willie's newspaper ownership, the Ruffin family, and the Padgitt situation to an agreeable conclusion.
Rating: 
Summary: What a disappointment!
Review: John Grisham should stop churning out a book a year and focus on regaining the skills he had when he wrote A TIME TO KILL. Each "novel" has become progressively less satifying. I barely skimmed the last hundred pages of THE LAST JUROR.That's it for me with Grisham books.
Rating:
Summary: a slice of ham
Review: Much of the first half of THE LAST JUROR(set in the early '70s in Ford County, Grisham's Yoknapatawpha) concerns a murder, and the arrest, trial, and sentencing of one of the members of the local family of criminals with their own private island (every county has one right?). The story is told from the point of view of Willie Traynor, a young northerner who comes into town and buys the struggling local paper for a song, turning it into a fountain of liberalism the Watergate-era Washington post might have trouble keeping up with.
Danny Padgitt, the accused, is sent off to priaon, vowing revenge on the jurors. Much of the second half of the book is devoted to Willie's crusading editorship, opposing Vietnam, exposing political corruption, etc. By the time Padgitt turns up again and people start dying, the town (and the readers) have almost forgotten about him. Instead, we're treated to interminable descriptions of the Southern cooking and homespun wisdom of Miss Callie, a matriarch of the black community whom Willy befriends. The black characters in THE LAST JUROR are one-dimensionally virtuous and could easily be spun off into some sort of Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. More troubling are the female characters, who are either regular churchgoers or slutty, without exception. Susan Sarandon's character from THE CLIENT could have straightened things out in 100 fewer pages.
At least, I thought as I read, THE LAST JUROR lacks the cynicism that pervades Grisham's recent work, but in the end Willie doesn't seem to care about very much, other than the money he might make from selling the paper.
Rating:
Summary: This is, in my opinion, John Grisham's best book
Review: In my (December 17, 2003) review of "Bleachers", I claimed that "I'm mildly anticipating John Grisham's next legitimate novel--"The Last Juror"--due early next year." In that statement, I should've used the word 'greatly' instead of 'mildly', because Grisham's latest legal-thriller was nothing short of spectacular! I've never read one of Grisham's full-length novels in one day, but I did with "The Last Juror." I bought the copy I have Friday evening (Feb. 6), which I began reading Saturday afternoon (12:30 p.m.) and, pretty much in one sitting, after about twelve hours, finished reading Sunday morning (12:30 a.m.). I loved this book; I've never given a 5-star rating as part of any book review I've written, but "The Last Juror" could be Grisham's best work to date. I find that I can't really compare the novel to any of Grisham's previous "legal-thriller" novels; "The Last Juror" seems to be a cut above what he's put out since 1991. The story was compelling, the plot wasn't as formulaic/predictable, the characters were great; and even Grisham's writing style seemed to have improved (more refreshing and not as boring). If there are readers who have given up on Grisham, then ol' John deserves a second chance because of "The Last Juror."
A Must Read!
Rating:
Summary: The Last Juror
Review: Who is the last juror? These characters are ones I couldn't get enough of. This may be John Grisham's finest work to date. The suspense is intense and the setting is another great tribute as with A Time to Kill, set in Mississippi. Don't miss this one. Grisham fans will love it, and if you're new to John Grisham, you will be hooked!
Rating:
Summary: Characters We Can't Get Enough Of
Review: This was a very good book. I purchased the audio version and listened to it as I traveled from Houston to Atlanta. Grisham is a masterful storyteller, but I think we all agree with that. This book is a social commentary on Small Town, USA and gives one vivid images to nibble on. Who among us can't see Clanton, Missippi or these characters? Like another reviewer, Mr. Grisham could do us all a favor by giving Harry Rex, Judge Noose, and Rufus Buckley more page time. However, I, too, was a little perplexed why it was called the The Last Juror. Maybe someone much more analytical than I can answer that. What Grisham does better than almost anyone else is give us characters we love. Willie is likeable and you want him to succeed. Lucien is a shark and you want to hate him. Harry Rex is...Harry Rex. Danny Padget is a murderer and you want him to fry. The Ruffins are a loving family and Willie might as well be considered the ninth Ruffin(Aside a little confused about the Sam story, Could have been tied up more, but I'm splitting hairs here. Gotta find something to gripe about.) Throughout the novel, minor characters float in to give the book substance. They serve their purpose. I am a Grishamite. I don't love all of his books but I love most of his characters. Next to Baldacci, Pelecanos, and Patterson, he is one of the best. Some of the plots are outlandish and over the top, but that's his perogative. To one interested in a very good book, this one is worth a serious look. Great job, Mr. Grisham.
Rating:
Summary: After a couple rough books, Grisham gives us a gem
Review: John Grisham returns and shows us why he's the most popular American writer ever with "The Last Juror." The book is filled with colorful people from fictional Ford County Mississippi; learning more about each one is a delight. After three less than exceptional books that left me a little disheartened, Grisham returns to the place where his books started, the setting of the great "A Time to Kill." In this book, though, the main character Willie Traynor befriends a sixty-year-old black mother of eight in 1970. That year, the town was rocked by the brutal death of Rhoda Kasselaw; and Traynor, as newspaper editor, was set to benefit from the sensational details. Grisham is highly adept at character development and keeps the reader interested in and caring for each colorful character. Don't miss the ending! Welcome back, John.
Rating:
Summary: Back and at 'em
Review: I have read all of John Grisham's books to date and he is certainly one of my favorite authors, however, for a while there he was scaring me. Not to say his non-legal books were not good or well written, but I guess they were somewhat of a shock to me and as a result I did not appreciate them or his change of style that much. Well, he came back with a bang with his new book "The Last Juror" and I fell right back in awe with his unique style and readability. All in all, I highly recommend this book to old and new Grisham fans alike
Rating:
Summary: Grish still riding the hot streak...
Review: First let me say how glad I am that finally the Da Vinci Code is knocked out out of the #1 spot. I knew it wouldn't stand a chance against the new Grisham. Secondly, I've become a huge fan of how Grisham's characters pop up in more than one book. This seems to be a new thing that he started with The Summons, where the main character in that book met (one of my favorite characters in any Grisham book) Patton French who later showed up in The King of Torts. Harry Rex from The Summons now shows up in The Last Juror. This guy is another one of my faves, absolutely hilarious: "Just a roll in the hay". Everyone should be so lucky to have an aquaintence like Harry Rex. As far as this book, its fantastic. I'm a huge Grisham fan, but I'd say one out of every 4 books of his is a miss for me. It seems, however, that ever since The Testament this guy cannot be stopped. Here in his latest book his sense of humor is even sharper than ever. There isn't a 30 page span where I didn't laugh out loud, which is something I rarely do with a book. Grisham your making an idiot of me in public places! The man is here in true form doing what he does best, and you get the impression of an author who has all the confidence in the world. There are few contemporary authors, especially those in 'pop literature' to hold a candle to this man. Keep it up my man!
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