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!
Rating:
Summary: The real John Grisham is back!!!
Review: I loved everything about this book, and it reminds me of one of Grisham's first books, A TIME TO KILL. The characters were so real and well-developed. His books are always so full of rich detail that I just sink into the words and almost become a participant in the plot. There were really two plots going on in this book. The first one was the murder and rape of a young mother in the small town of Clanton, Mississippi and the subsequent arrest and trial of Danny Padgitt. The second plot was the friendship between Willie Traynor, the newspaper owner,
and Callie Ruffin, the last juror. Grisham does a remarkable job of weaving these two plot lines together and having them mesh at the end. The result was just so good that I savored every word. I really hope that all book-lovers will get a chance to read this wonderful story.
Rating:
Summary: Where does he get the names?!
Review: I enjoyed this book more than any other since "The Testament." It seemed like he tried to use more humor here than in his previous legal installments. The scene where Willie is trying to learn how to shoot is hillarious! I just have one question. In every one of his books, it seems that he has a fun time with his characters last names? Am I the only one who notices this? My favorite from this one is "Reverend Clinkscale." Thanks, John, for the good stories without the irrelevant, unnecessary foul language.
Rating:
Summary: Maybe Grisham's finest work
Review: In my experience, Grisham either writes excellent books (The Chamber, The Runaway Jury) or very mediocre ones (The Client, which is possibly the most pointless thing I have read in years.) The blurb of The Last Juror - which tells of a small Southern town, a rape and murder trial, a defendant send down despite threatening revenge if the jurors convict him, and a "retribution" 9 years later upon his release - makes it sound a very promising thriller, and I was expecting to read what might be Grisham's best book. However, the blurb is slightly misleading in its focus and its suggestion of time. Indeed, the trial doesn't happen until about halfway through, and the release not until about the final 50 pages. As I realised this, I changed my expectation to disappointment. Big but: I was very wrong. Because, in spite of that, this is STILL probably Grisham's finest novel. While it is partly about the trial and conviction of local boy Danny Padgitt, The Last Juror is actually about the town as a whole and how it changes over time, through desegregation and other social shifts. It's about it's eclectic residents and how they cope with the changes and crimes in the community, as seen through the eyes of the dubiously-named Willie Traynor, one of Grisham's most engaging narrators in years, a 23 year-old journalist who has recently acquired ownership of the Ford Count Times, and gradually turns its fortunes around as he writes with endearing passion about the town, and anger at the corruption in its justice system. The journey Grisham takes us on, through the panorama of 9 years in the history of this town in the seventies, is a wonderful, touching, and also thrilling, and The Last Juror is a wonderful, touching and thrilling book. There is an inexplicable tendency, even among fans of the crime genre, to look down on Grisham and other huge populists, and it is a tendency which is denying lots of people some great reading experiences. His books aren't particularly challenging, no, but he is a brilliant and instinctive storyteller. His prose is so easy and languid, so polished, that it flows past the eyes and invites one simply to be carried along with the ease of the experience. It is remarkable prose, unlike anyone else's. Thus, his books don't require much effort to read, but the rewards of a captivating, entertaining story are copious and potent for the fact that his books asks so little - apart from a little emotional investment in his characters - and give, comparatively, so much.
Grisham's books tend to be very plot driven, but this one also puts a bit more focus on characters; a quirky and warming bunch. The town colourful inhabitants are drawn, on the surface, wonderfully, even if there is no real depth to some of them. They are an unthreatening, entirely innocuous group, a personification, almost, of Grisham's approach to his books. It's sometimes remarkable to think that in the gratuitous world of crime writing, Grisham's books are never ever brutal, and in all his back-catalogue he's only ever "murdered" about 7 people. In the end, this is a great legal thriller with some nice twists, but more than that it is a compelling meditation on the life of a small American town in the 70's. In the very moving final chapter, Grisham's message seems to be that the only person who sits in on our final judgement, our own last juror, is ourselves. Or God, depending upon what you believe, I suppose.
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