A review by mg_in_md_
Gray Mountain by John Grisham

3.0

I was fortunate to win a copy of this book via a FirstReads giveaway, so my review is based on that copy. The story is set during the 2008 financial meltdown and begins with the protagonist, Samantha Kofer, working at a Big Law firm in New York City. She loses her job as a result of the economic downturn but is dangled an offer by her employer...rather than being fired, she will be furloughed and is promised an opportunity to return to the firm in a year's time if she takes an unpaid job at a legal aid clinic. She eventually finds a legal aid clinic deep in the heart of Appalachia, specifically Brady, Virginia, that still has an opening available. Within a matter of days, she moves from the bustle of Manhattan to the rural town of Brady. She soon begins to learn about Big Coal, which appears to be even more cutthroat than Big Law. Samantha's prior legal experience consisted of reviewing documents from the safety of a desk, so she must overcome her trepidation about seeing the inside of a courtroom. While I found the coal mining issue and premise of the book interesting, I found the secondary characters more compelling than the heroine. Personality-wise, it seemed like she would've been eaten alive at a Big Law firm in the heart of NYC, so she seemed too timid to me and that the people she worked with in Appalachia were bolder and braver...and more suited for the Big Apple than she appeared to be. Overall, the book was a fast read and a fine story, but I wouldn't rank it among my favorites by Grisham. I did appreciate getting reacquainted with the author though since it's been some time since I've read one of his legal thrillers. Thanks again to the FirstReads program for giving me the chance to check this one out!