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  • The Reckoning

  • By: John Grisham
  • Narrated by: Michael Beck
  • Length: 17 hrs and 36 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (273 ratings)

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The Reckoning

By: John Grisham
Narrated by: Michael Beck
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Publisher's Summary

The electrifying new thriller from internationally best-selling author John Grisham.

John Grisham returns to Clanton, Mississippi, to tell the story of an unthinkable murder, the bizarre trial that followed it and its profound and lasting effect on the people of Ford County.

Pete Banning was Clanton's favourite son, a returning war hero, the patriarch of a prominent family, a farmer, father, neighbour and a faithful member of the Methodist Church. Then one cool October morning in 1946, he rose early, drove into town, walked into the church, and calmly shot and killed the Reverend Dexter Bell.

As if the murder wasn't shocking enough, it was even more baffling that Pete's only statement about it - to the sheriff, to his defense attorney, to the judge, to his family and friends and to the people of Clanton - was 'I have nothing to say'.

And so the murder of the esteemed Reverend Bell became the most mysterious and unforgettable crime Ford County had ever known.

©2018 Belfry Holdings, Inc (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic Reviews

"Scintillating storytelling." (The Sunday Times)

"A buoyant, mischievous thriller... This reliable best-selling author is feeling real pleasure, and not just obligation, in delivering his work." (New York Times)

"A wild, hard-to-put-down romp." (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

What listeners say about The Reckoning

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Kay
  • 02-11-2018

Why bother?

I expected a thriller. I got a history of the Asia pacific war. Much too long. Bit of race complexity but I gave up. Listened to last chapter. All very expected. Dull

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

The most depressing book written by John

Depressing from beginning to end. Wish I hadn’t sated my time reading this book by a normally brilliant author

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • LSR
  • 09-09-2023

Different

Thoroughly enjoyed the book, and held my interest till the end. I guess all accounts of the war were fairly factual and taught me more about that part of the war than I knew, i was not expecting anything like that. A bit disappointed in the ending but there always seems to be some type of twist at the end of John Grisham’s books.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A bit long but thats ok.

Michael’s performance is brilliant as usual. Thanks very much Michael. This time the story was good but not outstanding like some of John’s yarns. Can’t be tops all the time. The legalities are fascinating as usual.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

brilliant

Mr Grisham has written a masterpiece.
Left guessing to the very last ans a departure from most of hisd other novels enjoyed the whole story
.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The reckoning

Excellent story. John Grisham always delivers. A master story teller. Will listen again at a later date.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Best modern story teller.

John Grisham at his best again, it was amazing, unbelievably twisted and unforgettable story to listen to.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

What?

Sorry
Overlong and too drawn out could have been abridged ending was somewhat of an anticlimax
Good English and excellent narration

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

I do prefer John "Brevity" Grisham

This is an author who has a permanent place in my top shelf. So it was hard to go 4-4-4.
And I don't mind when authors explore possibilities with their literary voice.
But there were times when I felt myself labouring through this novel - and with a Grisham novel, that's new territory for me.
I note others who didn't like the long passages about the war, but I was born a handful of years after WWII and I grew up devouring everything about it. So I loved the account of the protagonist caught up in the infamous Bataan Death March.
This novel feels like the author set a minimum-length target and hang the consequences. Which is why, I believe, some reviewers have felt the ending was an anti-climax. Again, I would cut Grisham some slack on that: It is a period piece, and the mores of the time were different, tolerance levels different, accepted behaviour different.
My worry is that the main characters are manipulated badly, forced to behave in unrealistic ways so Grisham can keep us wandering fatigued through another three hours of audiobook.
So if you are a Grisham fan like me, you'll reach the end, shrug and think "Okay.... I guess" and walk away feeling a bit let down.
Michael Beck does a reasonable job of the narration. He has an interesting style, appearing to keep a hand steady on the Expressiveness throttle, making sure it never gets away from him. Which sounds a lot like he's reading an essay. I caught myself thinking "Hmm... when they have good AI narration, this is what audiobooks may sound like.
Overall, this may well be my least favourite John Grisham novel.
Actually, forget "May well be".
It is.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Drawn out

The story was so drawn out and slow, only stuck with because of the great narrator.

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