The Will

Rating:
Summary: Terrific!
Review: Henry Matthews--ambitious up-and-comer at a large, prestigious Chicago law firm--receives an unexpected call from his hometown of Council Grove, Kansas. The richest man in town, Tyler Crandall, has died, and Henry must go home and execute his will. The Crandalls pretty much own Council Grove, and all assume that the estate will pass to Roger, Tyler's son, and things will continue on as they always have. But to everyone's shock and surprise, Tyler Crandall leaves everything to the Birdman, a crazy, delusional homeless man who has lived in the town park for the last twenty-five years. Now, as the will is contested by the Crandall family, Henry is determined to find out what the connection is between Tyler and the Birdman and why he left him his fortune. And, as he digs into the past, Henry begins to uncover long-hidden secrets and truths that will change this small community forever. Reed Arvin has written a terrific mystery/legal thriller that will put you on the edge of your seat and keep you turning pages to the very end. This novel has it all: a suspenseful, compelling storyline, great characters with strong voices, riveting scenes, a climax that will knock your socks off, and a very satisfying ending. Mr Arvin's writing is true to life, crisp and spare, with a real ear for dialogue. So turn off the phone and lock the door, "The Will" is a winner and a book you will have to read in one sitting.

Rating:
Summary: Great legal thriller, but not your father's Reed Arvin
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed "The Wind in the Wheat" (Arvin's first novel) and I really like legal novels -- two of my favorite authors are John Grisham and William Bernhardt. So this combination seemed like a sure bet for "The Will". And I was not disappointed. The characters are real and fleshed out, especially the main protagonist, Henry Matthews. The plot had some nice twists and some good mysteries that unfolded over the course of the book (beyond the main mystery that it is built around).

One word of caution: This would be a fairly coarse book at times to some folks -- language alone would merit it a PG-13 were it a movie, and there is a half-page (unnecessary, in my opinion) sex scene as well. If neither of those bug you, have at it.

Rating:
Summary: Small-town secrets
Review: If you're looking for a new author to satisfy your thirst for top notch legal thrillers, then you'd be well advised to remember Reed Arvin's name. As far as legal thrillers go, this is a first class book, combining an intriguing mystery with the constant threat of deadly consequences. Add this to some excellent characters who are vividly brought to life and you have a book that is very difficult to put down.

Henry Mathews is a hotshot lawyer working for a prestigious Chicago law firm. When Ty Crandall, the richest man from Henry's home town of Council Grove Kansas dies, Henry is called and asked to return home to act as executor of the will. The will contains a major shock for the Crandall family when they learn that the bulk of the estate has been left to Raymond Boyd, known to the townsfolk as the Birdman. Boyd is a dishevelled vagrant of questionable sanity who sits in the local park preaching verses from the bible. The obvious questions are, why would a homeless man be made beneficiary of such a vast estate? What was in his past and how is he connected to Ty Crandall? Finding all this out makes terrific reading indeed.

Although the premise described above is interesting in itself, there is a lot more to the story than just a fight over a will. There are plenty of small town secrets, ego trips and power plays at work, as well as a significant amount of greed shown by the more powerful figures who have their own reasons for not allowing the Birdman to collect on his good fortune. There are also the ethical considerations caused by the pressure placed on Henry to return to Chicago and his high-paying job.

I found this to be a fast-paced thriller with a plot that contained plenty of drama and an interesting look at the place of ethics in the legal world. But most of all, it was a darn entertaining story.

Rating:
Summary: MARVELOUS!!! It's a must for legal thriller readers
Review: What made me read this book: The Will? I didn't know Reed Arvin until he was introduced by Bookreporter.com web site. I love reading John Grisham and David Baldacci books, especially the legal thriller books. When I saw the title 'The Will', I said, "Bingo! Here is another legal thriller story!" I went to Amazon.com from Bookreporter.com's link. I read many of the reviewers mentioning that this book is better than John Grisham, which made me determining to read this book. I am telling you the truth. Reed Arvin is awesome writer. Most of the reviewers are right about not regret buying this book but I cannot say Reed Arvin is better than John Grisham. They both are excellent. They have their own styles. I can see the differences between them. I am just grateful that we have more excellent legal-thriller-writers. The more novels, the merrier! Thank you to both of you!