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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
inspiring
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
With an intriguing plot that combines elements of literary and historical fiction, courtroom drama and a touch of suspense thrown into the mix and its cast of interesting characters (old and new) Camino Ghosts by John Grisham is a compelling read.
The third book in the author’s Camino Island series begins with author Mercer Mann's wedding with Thomas, with whom she has been in a relationship for over three years. In attendance are Mercer’s friends from the island, among whom is Bruce Cable, owner of Bay Books. Mercer is looking for inspiration for her third novel and Bruce suggests the story of the Dark Isle – a now uninhabited island between Florida and Georgia that was once home to a community of runaway slaves. The last living descendant of Dark Isle, Ms. Lovely Jackson, now in her eighties, lives on Camino Island after having left Dark Isle in 1955, when she was fifteen years old, with her mother. Lovely had self-published a book about the island and its history – only a few copies of which were sold at Bruce’s bookstore. The now deserted island has caught the attention of greedy property developers with grand plans for the island, possessing both the political backing and the money to see their plans through. Lovely, who has refused any monetary compensation from the developers, plans to prove her ownership of Dark Isle, hoping to thwart their plans and protect the land where her ancestors are buried. The island is believed to be cursed and it is rumored that many who tried to step foot on the island were never seen again. Bruce encourages Mercer to meet with Lovely to discuss the possibilities of Mercer authoring a book of non-fiction about the island – a proposal Lovely eventually accepts.
As the narrative progresses we follow Mercer, as she commences her research, hoping to find facts that would help Lovely’s case; Bruce, as he taps into his vast network of contacts to gather information on the property developers and their allies; and Lovely and her legal team – retired lawyer Steven Mahon and his “ace paralegal” Diane Krug- as they prepare for the ensuing legal battle
There is no doubt that John Grisham is a master storyteller and though I’ve always been a fan of the author, I'll admit that his Camino Island books were never among my favorites. I'm glad to say Camino Ghosts changed that! The narrative moves at a consistent pace with Nalla’s story - both heartbreaking and captivating on account of the rich historical perspective and the ‘lore of the island -shared in chapters interspersed throughout the novel. I enjoyed getting to know Lovely and found the history of Dark Isle and Lovely's stories of life on the island fascinating. I've never been particularly fond of Mercer, but Bruce , as always, is an interesting character. Mahon and Diane made a formidable team and I loved Diane’s dedication and her go-getter attitude. Despite the serious themes of this novel, the author injects a healthy dose of lightheartedness (Gifford Knox was a hoot!) to keep the novel from becoming too heavy.
Definitely the strongest of all three books in the series, in my humble opinion, this exceptionally well-written, immersive novel is a departure from Grisham’s signature legal thrillers and though not a "legal thriller" per se, I did enjoy the courtroom scenes and I loved how the author chose to end the story.
I always look forward to reading more from John Grisham and now will be eagerly awaiting the next installment in this series.
Many thanks to Doubleday Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The third book in the author’s Camino Island series begins with author Mercer Mann's wedding with Thomas, with whom she has been in a relationship for over three years. In attendance are Mercer’s friends from the island, among whom is Bruce Cable, owner of Bay Books. Mercer is looking for inspiration for her third novel and Bruce suggests the story of the Dark Isle – a now uninhabited island between Florida and Georgia that was once home to a community of runaway slaves. The last living descendant of Dark Isle, Ms. Lovely Jackson, now in her eighties, lives on Camino Island after having left Dark Isle in 1955, when she was fifteen years old, with her mother. Lovely had self-published a book about the island and its history – only a few copies of which were sold at Bruce’s bookstore. The now deserted island has caught the attention of greedy property developers with grand plans for the island, possessing both the political backing and the money to see their plans through. Lovely, who has refused any monetary compensation from the developers, plans to prove her ownership of Dark Isle, hoping to thwart their plans and protect the land where her ancestors are buried. The island is believed to be cursed and it is rumored that many who tried to step foot on the island were never seen again. Bruce encourages Mercer to meet with Lovely to discuss the possibilities of Mercer authoring a book of non-fiction about the island – a proposal Lovely eventually accepts.
As the narrative progresses we follow Mercer, as she commences her research, hoping to find facts that would help Lovely’s case; Bruce, as he taps into his vast network of contacts to gather information on the property developers and their allies; and Lovely and her legal team – retired lawyer Steven Mahon and his “ace paralegal” Diane Krug- as they prepare for the ensuing legal battle
There is no doubt that John Grisham is a master storyteller and though I’ve always been a fan of the author, I'll admit that his Camino Island books were never among my favorites. I'm glad to say Camino Ghosts changed that! The narrative moves at a consistent pace with Nalla’s story - both heartbreaking and captivating on account of the rich historical perspective and the ‘lore of the island -shared in chapters interspersed throughout the novel. I enjoyed getting to know Lovely and found the history of Dark Isle and Lovely's stories of life on the island fascinating. I've never been particularly fond of Mercer, but Bruce , as always, is an interesting character. Mahon and Diane made a formidable team and I loved Diane’s dedication and her go-getter attitude. Despite the serious themes of this novel, the author injects a healthy dose of lightheartedness (Gifford Knox was a hoot!) to keep the novel from becoming too heavy.
Definitely the strongest of all three books in the series, in my humble opinion, this exceptionally well-written, immersive novel is a departure from Grisham’s signature legal thrillers and though not a "legal thriller" per se, I did enjoy the courtroom scenes and I loved how the author chose to end the story.
I always look forward to reading more from John Grisham and now will be eagerly awaiting the next installment in this series.
Many thanks to Doubleday Books for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
To whom does a long uninhabited island belong?
Just off the coast of Florida lies Camino Island, home to Bruce Cable (owner of Bay Books) and a number of published authors, including occasionally to novelist Mercer Mann. As the story opens Mercer is about to get married on the island (beach chic attire….no shoes allowed) and is finding it difficult to find an inspiration for her next book, one for which she is under contract. Bruce thinks he has the perfect solution to her dilemma….there is another author on the island, Lovely Jackson, whose only book is a self-published history of her people. She is the last living descendant of the escaped slaves who called a neighboring island known as Dark Isle home for hundreds of years. At eighty years of age, Lovely is a fascinating source for the oral history of her people….how they came to be on Dark Isle, their hardships and their joys. Dark Isle, she believes, is hers, and it is her mission to honor those ancestors and make sure that their story survives. For decades it has existed uninhabited and overgrown until the recent Hurricane Leo literally shifted its landscape; the island could now be readily reached from the mainland by a bridge and is an attractive candidate for development. The Tidal Breeze Corporation has the money, the lawyers, and the ties to people in power in Tallahassee to press the case that the island is in fact owned by the state of Florida rather than by an elderly woman of color with no known legal title to the land. But even a small community like Camino Island can find amongst their friends people who aren’t afraid to tilt at windmills when the cause is just. An experienced environmental lawyer, his enterprising intern, a successful author who loves to cut developers’s schemes to shreds by wielding his money and his mouth, and others will team up with Mercer, Bruce and the formidable Lovely Jackson to see that Dark Isle remains true to its history.
Author John Grisham is of course best known for his legal thrillers, and while Camino Ghosts (the third installment of the Camino Island novels….but don’t worry, it can easily be read as a standalone) does have a legal case wove through its story, there is much more to enjoy here. The tale of Nalla, Lovely’s ancestor who was snatched with many others from her African village and sold into the slave trade, brutalized and raped, torn from her husband and child, and sent on a boat headed for a plantation owner in the southern US, only to end up free on Dark Isle when the slave ship sank at journey’s end during a sudden storm; voodoo curses that are said to repel those who don’t belong there and keep them from surviving visits to the island; the machinations of large developers determined to build more condo buildings, McMansions and golf courses to sell at top dollar; the less than glamorous life of authors trying to gain enough appeal and financial remuneration so that they can afford to quit their day jobs and just write; and the close-knit, nosy world of a small community. If you were to cross Carl Hiassen or James W. Hall with David Baldacci or Mr. Grisham himself, you would end up with Camino Ghosts. A thoroughly enjoyable novel on many levels, you will not go wrong by adding this to your summer TBR list. Many thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for allowing me early access to an entertaining and clever tale.
Just off the coast of Florida lies Camino Island, home to Bruce Cable (owner of Bay Books) and a number of published authors, including occasionally to novelist Mercer Mann. As the story opens Mercer is about to get married on the island (beach chic attire….no shoes allowed) and is finding it difficult to find an inspiration for her next book, one for which she is under contract. Bruce thinks he has the perfect solution to her dilemma….there is another author on the island, Lovely Jackson, whose only book is a self-published history of her people. She is the last living descendant of the escaped slaves who called a neighboring island known as Dark Isle home for hundreds of years. At eighty years of age, Lovely is a fascinating source for the oral history of her people….how they came to be on Dark Isle, their hardships and their joys. Dark Isle, she believes, is hers, and it is her mission to honor those ancestors and make sure that their story survives. For decades it has existed uninhabited and overgrown until the recent Hurricane Leo literally shifted its landscape; the island could now be readily reached from the mainland by a bridge and is an attractive candidate for development. The Tidal Breeze Corporation has the money, the lawyers, and the ties to people in power in Tallahassee to press the case that the island is in fact owned by the state of Florida rather than by an elderly woman of color with no known legal title to the land. But even a small community like Camino Island can find amongst their friends people who aren’t afraid to tilt at windmills when the cause is just. An experienced environmental lawyer, his enterprising intern, a successful author who loves to cut developers’s schemes to shreds by wielding his money and his mouth, and others will team up with Mercer, Bruce and the formidable Lovely Jackson to see that Dark Isle remains true to its history.
Author John Grisham is of course best known for his legal thrillers, and while Camino Ghosts (the third installment of the Camino Island novels….but don’t worry, it can easily be read as a standalone) does have a legal case wove through its story, there is much more to enjoy here. The tale of Nalla, Lovely’s ancestor who was snatched with many others from her African village and sold into the slave trade, brutalized and raped, torn from her husband and child, and sent on a boat headed for a plantation owner in the southern US, only to end up free on Dark Isle when the slave ship sank at journey’s end during a sudden storm; voodoo curses that are said to repel those who don’t belong there and keep them from surviving visits to the island; the machinations of large developers determined to build more condo buildings, McMansions and golf courses to sell at top dollar; the less than glamorous life of authors trying to gain enough appeal and financial remuneration so that they can afford to quit their day jobs and just write; and the close-knit, nosy world of a small community. If you were to cross Carl Hiassen or James W. Hall with David Baldacci or Mr. Grisham himself, you would end up with Camino Ghosts. A thoroughly enjoyable novel on many levels, you will not go wrong by adding this to your summer TBR list. Many thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for allowing me early access to an entertaining and clever tale.