Rating: 
Summary: Not Very Exciting
Review: I have read all of John Grisham's legal thrillers and this one is very average. The story was well written and interesting but there was no real suspense here. The characters were very good and the plot had potential. It was a fairly short book and while reading it I kept wondering when it would take off into a real mystery. Never happened. I would have to say I was disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A soporific tale about the pernicious effects of greed.
Review: "The Summons," John Grisham's latest novel, is not a legal thriller. It is a slow-moving story about a law school professor named Ray Atlee who is summoned home one last time to see his dying father. Old Judge Atlee is a revered figure in Clanton, Mississippi. He has been respected as an outstanding and fair judge for nearly half a century. He is also beloved as a charitable individual and as a man who truly loves his hometown. However, the judge never had much time for his sons, Ray and Forrest. He never forgave Ray for leaving Clanton to become a professor in Virginia, and Forrest has been an alcoholic and a drug addict for years. When Ray comes home to meet with his father and his ne'er-do-well brother, he is in for several rude shocks.Ray finds out that his father has been hiding a rather important secret and it weighs Ray down with a responsibility that he is unable to handle. Throughout most of the book, Ray drives around (or flies) from place to place, seeking answers and conferring with his father's friends and acquaintances. (Ray has had few meaningful relationships of his own since his divorce, and other than his job, his one passion is flying small planes.) He is not cut out for a cloak and dagger existence. Occasionally, Ray receives threatening notes and he has the feeling that he is being followed. Will his pursuers catch him before he finds out the answer to his father's secret? The only thing that kept my interest was my desire to find out the true story behind the old judge's secret, and the solution turns out to be both unexciting and far-fetched. The substance of "The Summons" is the exploration of the life of a lonely middle-aged man, his dysfunctional brother, and the colorful characters of Clanton, Mississippi. The main theme is how greed can warp a person's judgment and distort his personality. Unfortunately, the mystery at the heart of "The Summons" is simply not enough to carry the novel, and the characters and plot are too thin to sustain more than a passing interest.
Rating: 
Summary: Grisham mailed it in
Review: Grisham must be under contractual obligation to finish X number of books, because he mailed this one in. Lazy plot. With the help of a good editor, I could have done better. Anyone who gives this book five stars either: 1) has a financial interest in seeing this book sell, or 2) gives every book they finish five stars.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrific!
Review: I have read all of John Grishman's books including the more recent Skipping Christmas and A Painted House. I have thoroughly enjoyed them all. The Summons was not only suspenseful but charming and funny. I highly recommend it!
Rating: 
Summary: Can someone say .... REDUNDANT
Review: It got off to a good start then .... the plot just ran in circles. I, too, felt this was rushed work. And the ending, after making it through all that dribble, was such .... I felt it was a slap in the face... like we were stupid for hanging on till the end. This one, so far, is my least favorite.
Rating:
Summary: the summons
Review: bro what happened to the ending this book indefinte their was no end please give some closure.
Rating:
Summary: Not his best but worth the read
Review: I'm an avid reader of Grisham works, and looked forward to a new story. This one is not as intense of his earlier legal works, but was good. I guess I was disappointed that after waiting such a while for it that it did not keep me on the edge of my seat as the earlier books had.
Rating:
Summary: I was excited to see Grisham had a new book...
Review: I was excited to see Grisham had a new book out. I rushed to get it as I have enjoyed all of his fiction books. I was very disappointed. I kept waiting for the twists but they never came. I can't believe Grisham let this one go to press.
Rating:
Summary: Rather Weak
Review: While this book was a page-turner, and Grisham's style of writing is eminently readable, this book lacks depth. As with other Grisham novels, you're constantly waiting for the surprises and twists, but few arrive. The end of the story is lackluster as well, leaving the reader with a somewhat empty feeling. This book appears to have been written in relatively short order and without much forethought, resulting in one of Grisham's poorest efforts to date.
Rating:
Summary: A Full Circle Read
Review: I don't want to give away the end of the story, but the end might as well be the beginning all over again. This was, without a doubt, the absolute worst book John Grisham has ever written. I think he has rested on his laurels long enough and it is time he returned to writing exciting novels or give up the whole thing. I know I won't buy another of his novels without reading a few reviews first. The "hero" of this book appeared to be a bit slow witted for a professor of a top notch college. I kept thinking he would get with the program, but he never did. Imagine running all over the country with a rather large sum of money in garbage bags and or boxes in the trunk of your car. That is the basics of the book; where will he hide the money next? The plot was silly, the story never lived up to its potential, and the end was the worst. Don't bother to buy the book. I'm sure there are millions of folks around the country who are carrying it around in the trunk of their car and they will willingly loan it to you.
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