Rating: 
Summary: Screen Worthy
Review: John Grisham's unbeatable talent for court room drama is showcased in "Runaway Jury." The tobacco industry, its accumulated wealth and its greedy qwest for more are timely subjects. Man's inhumanity to man is the undercurrent for this well plotted drama. Readers are kept guessing until the very end. Penned with heart warming authentic characters and action that rings true will put this on the bestseller list.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge
Rating: 
Summary: One More Time
Review: Another in the long line of McBooks this author puts out. Sure I read them, I think for the same reason I eat fast food, it is easy to get through, fast, and always the same. He does do a good job with these easy to read books, many people love them. I think we all know that for the most part this is pulp fiction, average stories, not very deep characters development and a light writing style that does not take much effort. With that said I found one thing troubling with this book, how likely is it that this person keeps getting on the juries? If you are a Grisham fan you will undoubtedly like this book, if you have not read anything from him I would suggest his first three books.
Rating: 
Summary: John Grisham Does It Again
Review: If you like fast-paced books that are easy to get into than John Grisham's novel, The Runaway Jury, is a great selection. Grisham is known for catching his readers within the first chapter and keeping them snagged throughout the entire novel.
If you have ever been called for jury duty then you know a little about how these people felt. But, did you know that an obscene amount of work is done to find out who you are and if your opinion can be bought? One man sets out to stump the people in hidden offices watching every move a juror might make. He messes with their minds and takes them for a confusing ride and shows them that people aren't always predictable. The research and imagination that grisham put into this one is amazing.
I wouldn't start this one unless you are willing to stay up all night, or dream about what is going to happen next. It is hard to put down and you don't want to miss a single detail.
Rating:
Summary: A medieval miracle play about taking down big tobacco
Review: Reading "The Runaway Jury" certainly made me appreciate "The Rainmaker" even more than I had previously. Both of these John Grisham novels deal with law suits against corporate giants that are evil, bad, wicked, mean and nasty. In "The Rainmaker" it was an insurance company that had come up with a scheme to make money at the expense of the life of a young man dying from leukemia. In "The Runaway Jury" it is a tobacco company that is the target of a lawsuit. The novels are also similar in that Grisham stakes the deck against the bad guys. In "The Rainmaker" young Rudy Baylor had the advantage of a not only being right, but the powerful support of a sympathetic judge and the luck of having a couple of smoking guns fall into his lap. In "The Runaway Jury" we have Juror #2, Nicholas Easter, who has gone to great lengths to make sure he is selected for the jury hearing this precedent-setting lawsuit against a giant tobacco company. On the one side we have high-priced lawyers with their consultants, supported by the entire tobacco industry. On the other side we have a lone juror and the beautiful woman who is helping him put all the pieces into place.In "The Runaway Jury" characters take a back seat to the unfolding of the machinations of Nicholas and his accomplice. We think we have a good idea of what they are trying to accomplish and the question is how are they going to do it. There is a sense of inevitability to it all and even the little twist at the end does not elevate the level of satisfaction in understanding the entire plot. Of course, it is somewhat depressing to think that the only way to "get" the tobacco companies in court is through such nefarious means. For me, at least, that tempers the enjoyment of having the tobacco company brought down. Is it just me, or have evil tobacco companies replaced psychotic Vietnam vets (who replaced the brutal Nazis) in terms of being the evil villains of choice in popular culture? They certainly seem to be popping up more and more in those roles (e.g., watch what they are up to with the U.S. Supreme Court on "First Monday"). "The Runaway Jury" ends up being an average John Grisham novel, which means it is a quick, fun read that pushes some buttons most of us probably do not mind having pushed. Our sympathies are with Nicholas and his cohort mainly because they are out to get the tobacco company rather than because of any distinguishable personal characteristics. In many ways, this novel reminds me of a medieval miracle play, where divine intervention saves the day. This book is okay, but I have definitely read better from Grisham.
Rating:
Summary: The Verdict Is In: A Shocking Ending
Review: In The Runaway Jury, John Grisham achieves the necessary elements of a suspense novel with a stunning ironic climax. It is easy for the reader to get wrapped up in the behind the scenes schemes of a big trial against four major tobacco companies. The majority of the novel deals with the tampering of the jury by the defense. This includes the sly and dangerous actions of a biased juror, Nicholas Easter, who is bribed by the defense to use his authoritative power and deliver a verdict in favor of the tobacco companies. But one familiar with the writing style of Grisham cannot help but to have a lingering thought that everything about Easter is not as it seems. Then, all of a sudden, it hits everyone. All the previous signs of Easter's betrayal come into view and all the pieces fit together. Grisham does a great job applying a somewhat obvious yet daring ending. Easter's secret is finally revealed and his astonishing betrayal completely shocks the tobacco defense. The reaction of the main defense attorney, Cable, when the verdict is announced, illustrates the surprise: "Cable slumped as if shot in the stomach. His comrades stared at the jury box with mouths gaping, air rushing out, eyes squinted in utter disbelief. An 'Oh my god!' was heard from somewhere among the second-tier defense lawyers behind Cable" (390). Readers are equally astonished. Grisham creates such a powerful climax and ending by putting the readers in the same position as the sly tobacco company throughout most of the story. The only advantage the audience has is an insight into the relationship of Easter and his partner in crime, Gabrielle Brant. This view provides the audience with a few hints here and there that could suggest different endings. In this way, Grisham is able to foreshadow in a suspenseful manner, an ironic and fulfilling climax. But he does not reveal the secret or ruin the surprise.
Rating:
Summary: One of my fav grisham books
Review: This is definately one of my favorite Grisham books. Great plot, surprise ending, interesting characters. It kept me on the edge of my seat! Highly Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Runaway from this book.
Review: Okay, sorry for the pun. Anyway, this book is classic Grisham. A pretty good courtroom page turner with a lot of twists and turns. This book is not one of his best, however. He gets pretty in depth with courtroom proceedings, and the amount of usual Grisham type intrigue doesn?t come through. It's basically one trial and shouldn't have taken that many pages. Basically, a high court tobacco trial commences. This trial, a sort of Goliath versus Goliath matchup, hinges on the jury. One jury member, however, wants to use this power. Through his mysterious girlfriend and wit, he continually bribes and cajoles jury consultants on both sides. Unfortunately, I just gave away half the plot right there. Grisham takes over two hundred pages to explain that. However, this is John Grisham, so the pages do tend to turn quickly. If you're looking for a good Grisham book, I'd suggest The Rainmaker or A Painted House.
Rating:
Summary: Some original Grisham
Review: I read this book while working in a law school (and thoroughly hating the students there.) So I very much appreciate Grisham's observation of "law school as the great babysitter of directionless undergrads." So true! That aside, this is a great and suspenseful book. Unlike most of Grisham's other novels, this book centers not on a lawyer but on a member of a jury who is seeking to "throw" the trial against Big Tobacco in which he is sequestered. The reason why is not clear till the last chapter, though you suspect it has to do with his girlfriend "on the outside" with whom he is communicating information about the other jurors. Any suspicion of a leak in the case and a juror is replaced. The longer it takes to assemble a fair jury, the more time they have to accomplish what they need in order to win .....
Rating:
Summary: A Jury Duty Find!
Review: I love John Grisham novels and this one is no doubt a keeper. I had jury duty coming up and figured what more of an appropriate read than a John Grisham novel? The characters are well-developed and have fantastic personalities, and the plot keeps you on your toes. I was hooked as I started the book, and I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who wants a good court read that they will not want to put down that will pass the time.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Appropriate and Informative!
Review: This is another winner for Grisham. The issue concerning tobacco products is one that we can all easily relate to. Especialy with all those non-smoking signs in every unlikely place. This novel deals with a touchy subject but Grisham deftly skirts around the usual rhetoric,only giving us a look at how complex the issue of 'tobacco industry and its enemies' is. The Runaway Jury might not be Grisham's best but it sure does reach deep down into one's conscience. This author is only second to Dean R Koontz in dealing with themes that affect us all. Bless his heart, the Mississipian way!
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