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.

In the third book of the Camino Island Series, popular bookseller Bruce Cable tells Mercer Mann an irresistible tale that might just be the topic of her next novel. A real estate developer with big pockets and big plans has set their sights on Dark Isle, an island just off of Camino Island. The problem is, Lovely Jackson claims she owns the island, being the last living person to live on the island. Her ancestors were slaves that washed ashore when the boat they were on capsized and sank, and generations upon generations lived on that island. One of those ancestors cursed the island to prevent others from coming onto the island, and to protect those living there. The locals know about the curse, the developers do not.....but they will soon find out.

I believe this was the best book so far in this series. I couldn't put it down. The rich history of the island, Nalla cursing the island, the way they protected it against all of the men who came looking for their slaves, the effects of the curse on the men who scouted out the land for the developers, it was all so captivating that I just couldn't stop reading. I thoroughly enjoyed Lovey also, especially the way she refused to meet in any building that had at any time in her lifetime refused her entry. That woman could carry a grudge! This can be read as a standalone, so don't worry if you haven't read the first two in the series. You definitely want to add this one to your TBR pile though, you are going to love it. I guarantee it!

This is the third book In Grisham’s Camino Island series featuring bookshop owner Bruce Cable and author Mercer Mann. Mercers is having trouble getting started on her next book - and is in need of some income. Bruce has a few books of a self-published book by Lovely Jackson, an octogenarian. Lovely resettled on Camino Island after leaving, at age 15, a small island off the coast of Camino known only as Dark Isle. This small island has a lot of history, however, being a place where slaves who escaped their owners came to beginning in the 1700’s. Lovely is the descendant of slaves who were being transported from Africa when a storm destroyed the ship and the few survivors washed ashore at Dark Isle. And for generations, were the only inhabitants until only Lovely was left. Fast forward 60 years and an unscrupulous corporation led by an even more unscrupulous man decides to develop the island in the midst of the explosion of such developments in Florida. Lovely steps forward to stop them, declaring that it is her property while the developers say that the island has been uninhabited and is the property of the State of Florida. Enter the typical legal thriller penned by Grisham with lots of tension and plot twists as the case moves forward.

Grisham has once again displayed his talents as a excellent story teller within the realm of a legal thriller, touching on many timely topics including the explosion of developments in Florida, greedy and unscrupulous corporations, and the less than public service oriented politicians always looking forward to the next election and the need for contributions. This book can be read as a standalone as very little from the earlier books affects the plot. My thanks to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Camino Ghosts takes us back to the regular cast of the Camino series but can be read as a stand alone. It's just more fun when you know some of the background on the characters. We open with Mercer Mann getting married and fretting over what her next book should be about. She desperately wants to be able to quit her teaching job and write full time but knows she has to have a couple more big sellers before she can do that.

Local bookseller, Bruce, suggests that Mercer write about the island just north of them, Dark Isle. Uninhabited, Dark Isle had been a getaway for escaped slaves and then joined by a group of Black women who had been capsized on their way to America and the slave trade. Mercer learns more about the history from Lovely Jackson, the sole survivor of those inhabitants. Lovely had self-published her history and at the age of 80 wasn't so sure about trusting a white woman with her story.

Being Florida, there are developers who now want to build a casino and resort on Dark Isle (changing the name to Panther Cay) and thus starts the legal aspect of any John Grisham book, the fight for who owns the land. The money, politics, and intrigue change the focus of the book from Lovely's family history to the underhandedness of big corporations.

I highly recommend the book, I found the slave history fascinating especially the difference between Georgia laws and the Spanish controlled Florida laws where slavery was not practiced. A few miles really made a difference in a Black person's life at the time. And as always, Grisham does a great job of bringing the big boys home to roost!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

“Camino Ghosts,” by John Grisham, Doubleday, 304 pages, May 28, 2024.

In the Camino Island series, Bruce Cable owns a popular bookstore in the resort town of Santa Rosa on Camino Island in Florida. He makes his real money, though, as a dealer in rare books.

As “Camino Ghosts” opens, author Mercer Mann, who also teaches creative writing, and Thomas are getting married on the beach. Mercer’s next novel is a year overdue. Bruce Cable is officiating the wedding.

The next day, before Mercer and Thomas leave for their honeymoon, Cable tells Mercer an irresistible tale that might be her next novel. Tidal Breeze, a giant resort developer, is using its political muscle and deep pockets to claim ownership of Dark Isle, a deserted island between Florida and Georgia. The island had been a refuge for escaped slaves. The Larney family started Tidal Breeze. Wilson Larney is now the only shareholder.

Only Lovely Jackson, who claims to own the island, stands in its way. The developers say she has no proof of ownership or even that she was born there. Lovely says her six times great-grandmother, Nalla, a former slave, put a curse on the island.

This is the third in the Camino series. The story is told in separate chapters of present time and slavery time. This is an amazing novel. The characters are well developed and the writing is superb. Dark Isles, Nalla, and Lovely will stay with the reader for some time.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest John Grisham book, #3 in the Camino Island series. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Bruce Cable, owner of Bay Bookstore, has had a copy of a self-published book by Lovely Jackson for sale in his store. She declares herself the last descendent of Dark Isle, off Camino Island. The island indeed has a dark history of slaves and curses. But after Hurricane Leo changed the landscape and made a bridge to the island more possible, a development company has made notice that they want to build a casino, hotel, golf course and more on the island. With Lovely claiming that she is the rightful owner, the state of Florida claiming it's their property, and the development company wanting it, a lawsuit is set in motion.

As with the other books in the Camino Island series, this isn't a typical Grisham legal thriller, although this one does prominently feature a trial. You don't have to read the other books to enjoy this one, but I went back and binged them and you certainly get to appreciate the characters more if you read them all. I like Mercer's character so it was interesting to see her story continue. I think this is the best of the bunch because the story of Nalla, kidnapped from Africa and brought to the US as a slave is so compelling. Lovely is such a great character as well and you will be rooting for her all the way.

Only John Grisham can include in the first chapter the celebration of a wedding in contemporary time and then flip to a haunting story of Africans captured and bound for slavery to the United States. Thus begins the ancestral history of Lovely Jackson and the history of Dark Isle. The legal battle of this undeveloped barrier island thus begins with Lovely claiming ownership of Dark Isle as she was the last person to live there until 1955; a development company with plans to build on Dark Isle, the state of Florida claiming ownership and an environmental group striving to prevent such development. Add to this situation a bookstore owner and a novelist wanting to publish a book based on Lovely’s self published book. Intrigued yet? Add the admonition that no white person has ever visited Dark Isle and lived. Lovely was my favorite character whether interacting with a host of Camino Island residents or her testimony during the trial. A great mystery summer read with a historical twist of the horror of slavery. Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for this e-arc; this is my honest review.

I didn’t realize this was part of a series when I requested it. Oops 😝 Thankfully it can be read as a standalone, as other reviewers have said though it’s probably even better if you read the first two first.

John Grisham has crafted a captivating story set on Camino Island and a small island nearby aptly named Dark Isle. The absolute horror of the slave trade beginning in the 1700’s plays a pivotal role as several escaped when a slave ship sank and formed a colony on Dark Isle where they lived for about 200 years. The last known survivor from Dark Isle goes head to head with a greedy corporation that intends to build another casino on the island.
Abominable treatment of slaves, curses, superstitions, murder, panthers, archeological digs, devastation from a hurricane, ancient burial grounds, greedy corporations, crooked politicians, writers and publishers angst, courtroom drama…all play a tantalizing role in this cannot put it down read.
Lovely is certainly a fascinating character that seems so very majestic as she holds her own in the courtroom, I again enjoyed Mercer, Thomas, and Bruce and their interactions but Lovely truly stole the show in my opinion. Her book was so very compelling and definitely served to set the stage for the incredible story that Grisham wove. My only question was how Mercer’s book would sell so many copies as she retold Lovely’s story. I so loved this book, definitely the most compelling in the Camino Island series as well as perhaps being one of my favorite Grisham books, but I admit to being a bit disappointed by the ending.
Please keep writing John Grisham! Many thanks to John Grisham, Doubleday, and NetGalley for providing me with an arc of this truly engrossing read, to be published on May 28th.

The third in the Camino Island series focuses on the history of Dark Isle, an island off the coast of Florida. Lovely, the last descendant of the slaves who lived there fights to save the island from a greedy developer. Bruce encourages Mercer to write the story, an environmental group becomes interested and the fight in court begins. Very enjoyable! Best in the series. Highly recommended!

Camino Ghosts by John Grisham was next impossible to put down.
I loved everything about this story!
This is a fantastic tale about book stores, books, and trafficking.
It's gripping, engaging, and quite entertaining.
I loved the pacing and storytelling of Camino Ghosts. There was just enough intrigue in the first chapter alone to keep going, and as I read, the more I needed to know how it was all going to end!

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

The characters in the previous two entries take center stage as Mercer Mann finds herself without an idea for next book. Bookstore owner Bruce gives her a book written by a local who is a direct descendant of the slaves who make their home on Dark Island. Mercer is amazed at this story and finds herself wanting to help Lovey, the author of the story. Dark Island is being pursued by developers and Lovey must prove her claim to ownership and the truth of the history of Dark Island. This is a good read. Perfect for the summer and a strong entry in this series. Thanks to Net Galley for the arc.

With the holiday weekend behind us, summer reading has officially arrived. I enjoyed kicking off my summer reading with John Grisham's latest book, Camino Ghosts. I was first introduced to Grisham's gripping legal thrillers in high school, and his work played a significant role in my journey to becoming a lifelong reader. Knowing how much his books mean to me, his publisher graciously gave me a copy of his new release, just in time for Memorial Day weekend. This is the third installment in his series that began with Camino Island, and it's the best one yet.

Our return to Camino Island, a quaint vacation town off the Florida coast, brings us back to many familiar faces. Bruce Cable, the charismatic bookstore owner, confidant to the island's many resident authors, and occasional dealer in rare and illicit books, is delighted to welcome his protege Mercer Mann back to the island. Fresh off the success of her last novel, a literary sensation, Mercer is now struggling to find inspiration for her next work. Ever the helpful mentor, Bruce reveals that he has the perfect subject for Mercer's new book—the intriguing story of 80-year-old Lovely Jackson.

Years ago, Lovely self-published an account of her life and the unsettling history of the nearby Dark Isle. Her ancestors were brought to the area on ships traveling from Africa. Enslaved and with little hope for the future, a heavy storm forever changed their fate. Their ship capsized, and Lovely's family members washed ashore on Dark Isle. Though the island was inhospitable, it offered the enslaved people something previously unimaginable—freedom. Together, they created a sanctuary, colonizing the island and turning it into a safe haven to be passed down through generations. Lovely is the last of her lineage, claiming the now-deserted island as her own. She has returned over the years to tend to the graves of her ancestors and maintains that the island is cursed, deterring any unwelcome visitors from setting foot on its shores.

Mercer is intrigued by Lovely's story. Although she hasn't written nonfiction before, this could be the tale that reignites her passion for writing. As she begins the preliminary work of transforming Lovely's story into a full-fledged book, a new complication arises. Hurricane Leo, which wreaked havoc on Camino Island and Dark Isle a few years ago, paved the way for a controversial development plan. A large company has laid claim to the abandoned Dark Isle, intending to build residential properties, shopping centers, and a massive casino.

Determined to protect her ancestral homelands from corporate greed, Lovely takes the company to court. The battle won't be easy. There are no paper records of the island ever being inhabited, but Lovely is resolute in her fight. With the help of Mercer, Bruce, and some of Camino Island's best legal minds, she'll stop at nothing to defend her land, history, and story.

Of the three books in the Camino Island series, Camino Ghosts feels the most quintessentially John Grisham. Returning to his roots, Grisham creates the kind of compelling courtroom drama that only he can masterfully tell. His best works have always combined an intriguing plot, complex yet relatable characters, and a fast-paced writing style, and that's precisely what makes this latest novel such a joy to read. In Lovely Jackson, Grisham crafts a character whose personal history underscores the injustices of American history. This sets the stage for a classic David versus Goliath battle, pitting legal conventions against true justice.

I was completely captivated by this story, breezing through its pages over the course of the long holiday weekend. Grisham's ability to weave a tale that is both engaging and thought-provoking shines through, making it impossible to put down. The novel built to an emotionally satisfying climax, leaving me with a few tears streaming down my cheeks. It's a testament to Grisham's enduring ability to entertain and move his readers with stories that are both timely and timeless. Camino Ghosts is easily the best book in the series so far and is the perfect way to kick off the summer reading season.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

A giant resort developer has set its sights on Dark Island, off the coast between Georgia and Florida. But what the developer doesn't know is that Dark Island, long uninhabited, still has one remaining resident. And the locals all believe it to be haunted. Throughout history, no white man has ever been known to visit the island and live.

That last inhabitant, Lovely Jackson, along with her mother the last residents of the island, left in 1955, when Lovely was 15. But she has always considered herself to be the owner of the island. And now the developer is trying to disprove any claim she might have to it so they can make a big resort with a casino. The idea of a casino on her ancestral land gets Lovely to try to act.

Lovely wrote and self-published a history of the island years ago, and it still is available at the Camino Island bookstore. When novelist Mercer Martin reads this little book, she is sure she has found her next book. But this one will be non-fiction, and she is determined to get Lovely's help with the story.

The state of Florida also gets involved, claiming the island is deserted and by state law is the property of the State. The suits and countersuits mount, with the deep pocket developers using everything in its power to disprove any claim Lovely may have.

I only had to know the book was written by John Grisham to want to read it, but it is SUCH a good read, I had trouble putting it down!

Master Southern storyteller John Grisham, the author of the famous Camino Island series— Camino Island(#1) and Camino Winds (#2) with his latest, CAMINO GHOSTS (#3) — A bookstore owner, author, attorney, and an elderly long time resident come together to unearth the history of the past in a quest for justice in this captivating novel.

About...

Set on Camino Island (North Florida/Southern Georgia), the book opens with a lively wedding between Mercer Mann and Thomas.

Bruce Cable, the owner of Bay Bookstore, has an idea for Mercer (author) for a new book about Dark Isle, north of Camino Island. It is one of two smaller barrier islands between Florida and Georgia that has never been developed—only three miles long and a mile wide with pristine beaches.

It has a lot of history, and around 1750, it became a haven for runaway slaves from Georgia, which was then ruled by the British and allowed slavery. Florida was under the Spanish flag, and though slavery was not against the law, runaways from Georgia and the British colonies were granted sanctuary. There was a long-running fuel between the two countries about what to do with the slaves who escaped to Florida.

In 1760, a slave ship returning from West Africa was preparing to land in Savannah when there was a story. A ship from Virginia called Venus with around four hundred slaves. Many died at sea, and conditions were unimaginable. It finally went down about a mile out to sea near Cumberland Island. A few washed ashore in the storm on Dark Island (Dark Isle) and were taken in by the runaways from Georgia in the small community. Two hundred years went by and everyone died or moved away and now deserted.

This promoted the self-published nonfiction self-published book The Dark History of Dark Isle by Lovely Jackson, an 80-year-old resident and the last living heir to Dark Isle. She is a customer of the store.

Presently, many developers are trying to cash in on the land for a resort. Florida real estate developers and vultures are looking for undeveloped beaches that are now prime. Lovely claims she was born on the Dark Isle in 1940 and left there with her mother when she was 15 years old. She claims to be the sole owner.

From condos, resorts, golf courses, and a casino from a rogue corporation in Miami, announcing a six-hundred-million-dollar resort on Dark Isle now known as Panther Cay.

How will they stop the development and prove Lovey is the owner? On top of this, there is Nalla, an African witch doctor with some sort of voodoo priestess known to put a curse on the outsiders. Lovey's story follows the enslavement of one of her ancestors, a young mother named Nalla, who was kidnapped by slave traders. She lost her child, husband, family, and everything.

Bruce thinks this is a great idea for a book. Mercer and Thomas are on their honeymoon in Scotland with Lovey's book in hand. Soon, Mercer's curiosity is spiked. They must earn Lovey's trust to put this story out there for the world to see, create awareness, and protect her rights and those of her ancestors.

My thoughts...

Bruce, Mercer, a retired attorney, and others gather to fight for Lovey and her ancestors under the heir's property in this intense and fascinating legal thriller with signature Grisham courtroom scenes. With a blending of family drama, historical, legal, literary, mystery, suspense, and a few ghosts, Grisham's Southern storytelling shines in CAMINO GHOSTS, the finale of the riveting Camino Island series. My favorite of the series.

Recs...

Heir property is a fascinating topic today for those caught up in this land ownership battle that targets the poor and rural areas. (David vs. Goliath) If you enjoyed Camino Ghosts, I highly recommend the following books about this topic: Terah Shelton Harris's Long After We Are Gone, Wanda M. Morris's What You Leave Behind, and Brea Baker's Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership (non-fiction).

As an avid long-time Grisham fan, this is another superb addition to this engrossing trilogy. While CAMINO GHOSTS can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the books in order to learn more about all the fascinating characters. A must-read!

Thanks to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced reading copy for review purposes.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: May 28, 2024
May 2024 Must-Read Books
May Newsletter

So good to revisit this island and characters. Fascinating story about the slave trade and an island the slaves had inhabited by themselves. Loved the weaving in of the legal fight.

Bruce Cable's bookstore Bay Books is a popular meeting place on Camino Island in northern Florida. When best-selling local author (and former girlfriend) Mercer Mann returns to wed boyfriend Thomas, she shares with Bruce her need for a great idea for her next book. Bruce tells Mercer to read the ten-year-old, self-published book written by 80-year-old Lovely Jackson, who lives by the local docks. Lovely claims that she was raised and is the rightful heir to the nearby and now-deserted island named Dark Isle which had been home to many generations of descendants of former African slaves. Her ancestor Nalla washed ashore at Dark Isle having survived with several others when the slave ship they were traveling on was destroyed in a violent storm. The island was inhabited mostly by escaped slaves from Georgia plantations and Nalla and the other survivors were warmly welcomed to be a part of their village. For generations, the inhabitants remained mostly isolated. When a real estate developer announces plans to build a casino resort on Dark Isle, Lovely is aided by Bruce, Mercer and others, to try and stop the project. And Mercer decides that this is the perfect story for her next book.

Camino Ghosts is the third installment of John Grisham's "Camino Island" series. It also works as a standalone. The "book within a book" story of Dark Isle was riveting and tragic, juxtaposed with the present-day story of the effort to save the history of the island, which was exciting and enjoyable. Bruce and all his friends are great characters - the type of people you'd want to hang out with and share some wine. I hope the series continues.

4.25 stars.

Camino Island sounds like a little piece of heaven, but just like anywhere else, there will always be some fireworks. Bruce Cable is the local bookstore owner. When he gives author Mercer Mann a copy of a book written by a local resident, she is enthralled and horrified after reading this true story written by Lovely. Lovely is a descendant of the slaves who lived on an island known as Dark Isle. Her story includes her own memories and other stories that were shared with her. Mercer Mann wants to re-write her story and publish it, but only with Lovely's blessing. She thinks the world needs to hear this story. Getting Lovely's blessing will not be easy.

A development company has petitioned to buy the island and destroy everything on it in order to build a casino and accommodations. Lovely is horrified to learn about this plan. She claims ownership of the island because she is the last living heir, but she has not been on the island in decades. Florida has claimed ownership and wants to sell it. This will be a battle like David and Goliath. However, this development company is about to find out that this 80 year old woman is a force to be reckoned with.

There was a fascinating cast of characters and the courtroom dramatics were what I have come to love from any John Grisham novel. I enjoy a good legal drama. Lovely was definitely my favorite character. She was full of life in every way, including her incredibly bright wardrobe. If you enjoy a good legal drama with a little bit of intrigue mixed in, you will enjoy this one. I enjoyed the route that was taken to get where we ended up.

Thank you to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I wasn't aware this was part of a series, however it can be read as a stand alone. This is not a typical John Grisham book, in my opinion it's even better. I absolutely loved reading Camino Ghosts, and I plan to check out the others from my local library.

This is a story of slavery, property rights, racism, voodoo, corruption, and greed. When a writer is looking for inspiration, she is given a book to read by a woman who is the last descendant of a group of runaway slaves that lived on an island that has been uninhabited for 65 years. The question is who owns the island.

While this has all the trademarks of a Grisham novel - legal manoeuvrings, interesting backstory, a clear division between the good guys and bad guys, the little guy against the corporate giant- this is a slow moving story. The relationship between Mercer and her husband was cute, but overall I wasn't particularly invested in the characters or their stories.

This was just an okay read for me.

Not family friendly due to subject matter.