In between the taut exciting thrillers Grisham used to wirte and the pointless drivel of A Painted House and Skipping Christmas. The first part was pretty good, not predictable at all, but then he just changed modes and starting droning on and on about boring small town life and didn't get back to the story until near the end. I long for the days of The Firm, A Time To Kill, The Partner, The Runaway Jury. Those were books I couldn't put down. It's been several years since Grisham's produced anything like that. This will be the last hardcover Grishal novel I buy--from now on, I wait for the paperback.