I've been a fan of Steve Berry from the very beginning and really enjoy the detailed stories he crafts. The premise of The List was intriguing and the main characters were well developed. I wasn't sure how the story was going to end, or how the twists and turns would play out, so it kept me turning pages. I did feel the story got slightly bogged down with some of the storyline between Brent and Ashley. Overall though, it was an enjoyable read.

​I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Steve Berry’s The List shifts from his usual historical thrillers into Grisham-like corporate and legal suspense, with a small-town lawyer uncovering disturbing secrets tied to a powerful paper mill. Slow to start but packed with intrigue, it blends government corruption, union politics, and corporate greed into a tense 1990s-set story that feels both timely and unsettling.

A thriller that takes a bit to get into, but then you have all sorts of government intrigue. Our hero returns home to take care of his ailing mother. However, in order to do so, he must also sacrifice and become the lawyer for the paper mill. There is corporate shenanigans in This one that seems pretty realistic. This is a book set in the 1990s and gives us a glimpse into the not so distant past which I enjoyed. Thanks to NetGalley for the read.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

I have read a number of Steve Berry novels, his Cotton Malone ones are always full of action and history. The List is very different although also full of action, reminded much more of a John Grisham novel; small town lawyer caught up in a conspiracy. The premise is truly one of the most disturbing I have ever read.

Brent Walker moved back to his home town after his widowed mother is diagnosed with Alzheimer's. He hires in as assistant counsel for the company his father had spent his life at and that is the biggest employer in town. The three owners of the paper mill have a Priority program that has helped them save money on their self-insurance and workman's comp.

Good wins out over evil in the end but I struggled with the premise or I would have given it a better star rating. It was very well written and character development was well done, I really felt that I got to know the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The List by Steve Berry is a fast-paced, gripping short story that showcases Berry’s signature blend of suspense and intrigue. Centered around a mysterious government program and a protagonist thrust into a high-stakes conspiracy, the narrative unfolds with taut pacing and sharp twists that keep readers hooked. Though brief, the story effectively delivers the hallmarks of a classic Berry thriller—covert operations, shadowy motives, and a relentless sense of urgency. It’s a compelling read for fans of political thrillers or anyone looking for a quick, adrenaline-fueled literary escape.

When you think of Steve Berry, you think of historical thrillers, particularly featuring Cotton Malone. The LIst demonstrates he can also excel at Corporate Thrillers! You have to pinch yourself that you are reading Mr. Berry and not one of John Grisham's novels. The reader can tell that Steve Berry was a trial lawyer for 30 years as he is comfortable with the legal aspects of the novel.

This story hits closer to home and seems more realistic than the author's other novels as it hones in on Corporate America and the lust for money by the business owners and management. It also brings in the relationship of the unions who are there to improve the lot of the working man but you see how the head honchos of the business and union work behind closed doors to benefit themselves. Our political climate today illustrates how powerful businesses and their money can get their way and who cares what happens to the little man.

Fortunately Mr Berry brings in characters (young Brent Walker--lawyer and son of a former employee of Souther Republic Pulp & Paper Company and older friend Hank union representative and former mayor) who still have consciences and want the best for the employees of the paper company. One of the biggest benefits for the employees is the insurance which the company owns and offers rather than using an outside provider. As with most union negotiations, this is a prominent benefit that employees need.

Through technology Hank finds a list behind the owners' server firewall as he is preparing for union negotiations. What is this list of 7 numbers containing 9 digits? Why is it guarded so carefully? Does it have anything to do with the union negotiations?

With accelerating suspense, the reader is taken on a ride of thrills to uncover the answers where not only Brent and Hank feel threatened but also fear for friends and family.

I loved reading the book and will encourage as many patrons, friends, and family to enjoy Steve Berry's newest addition to his list of literary winners.

A big thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read The List by Steve Berry.

This is the first book I've read by Steve Berry and was pleasantly surprised at how good this book was. It reminded me of a few John Grisham books in style and my other favourite author David Baldacci and this thriller was right up there with them. I could imagine it being made into a movie too.

I will be looking out for more books by this author in the future.

The List by Steve Berry

Berry’s life experience played a major part in this book. A mill town is a different place. Having grown up in a mill town, my experiences are a bit similar to Berry’s which led to a lot of empathy for this book. Southern Republic Pulp and Paper, located in rural Georgia is keeping deadly secrets. The paternalistic facade hides ugly truths. Brent Walker, formerly working for the union, comes home to Concord to work for Southern. Hank Reed, his old best friend, is now a union opponent. Together the two find themselves embroiled in Southern Republic’s despicable secrets.

Berry does a good job on character development. Brent and Hank have depth and color. The major players on the other side demonstrate deplorable ethics which gives the plot a clear black and white perspective. There is no mixed emotions in this book, the bad guys are simply BAD!

I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

This book wasn’t for me, I struggled to stay engaged and often found myself losing track of the storyline and needing to reread. Also I found the story unbelievable. First Steve Berry book I read and it was a struggle to finish.

immersive crime thriller with lots of plots and lots of characters. It was hard to keep track of everything and it never fully drew me in. Overall an enjoyable read.

Full Disclosure: I received an Advance Reader's Copy of The List by Steve Berry from Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley. This book is available for purchase now.

I am an avid reader of Steve Berry's books. I have read the entire Cotton Malone series. When I saw The List coming out, I couldn't wait to read it. The List is not part of the Cotton Malone series. It is also a bit different from that series. This feels more like a John Grisham novel. When I got to the end, I realized that Steve Berry recognized that as well. I say all that in case you pick this up thinking you will get more Malone and are wondering why you are reading about Southern lawyers. Surprise! But seriously, this book scares me. If a company isn't already doing what this book suggests, I feel like we are not far from a future where they will. Sure, we don't see a lot of company towns these days although we might soon as companies look to diversify to increase profit. I am being intentionally vague because I don't want to give away the big reveal. However, it will reveal itself pretty early on in the book. You don't really need to fear spoilers. If you like legal thrillers, you will want to read The List.

When attorney Brent Walker left Concord, Georgia ten years ago, he was grieving his wife’s suicide and fighting his attraction to Ashley Reed. Now he’s back with a cushy job at Southern Republic Pulp and Paper, with plans to help his widowed mother and still fighting his attraction to Ashley. His plans change when his friend Hank Reed, labor union chief and Ashley’s father, comes to him with a problem. By accident, he has been able to access a list of numbers, deeply hidden behind an office computer firewall by the three men who manage the company. Brent and Hank work together to decipher the list and discover the disturbing and frightening secret it holds.

The List, written by talented author Steve Berry, is a throwback to his experiences as a practicing lawyer in a small Georgia town where the main employer was a paper mill. He translates that into an incredible legal thriller where the action begins early and never lets up. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! 5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley, Grand Central Publishing and Steve Berry for this ARC.

A totally immersive crime thriller that at the outset seems obvious until devious twists appear that leave you guessing. A trio of good old boys who run a self-insured papermill in Geogia come up with a dastardly plot to get rid of expensive retirees and employees who either have high health bills or expensive claims against the company: they kill them. Named the Priority Program, targets for assignation are picked based the highest cost to the company. Once identified, the head of Security and independently hired killers stage deaths that appear natural: from heart attacks and accidental deaths to suicides.

This has all been neatly covered up, until super-smart attorney Brent Walker is hired from the Atlanta D.A.’s office to become assistant general counsel. Brent is long standing friends with Hank Reed, who heads up the engineer’s union and who has been immersed tense negotiations as the three unions’ five-year contacts are due to expire.

Hank, while snooping around in the computer systems to get intel on the company’s union position stumbles across a list of 8 number digits: presumably social security numbers. He brings Brent in to help him investigate. The trio of owners panic and turn Brent and Hank into Priority targets. They run for their lives, trying desperately to figure out and expose what’s going on. Turns out the company’s malfeasance runs far deeper than the Priority Program and it's engaging to try to figure out all that’s going on.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

When living and working at a independent book store in Atlanta, I always read and recommended Steve Berry's Cotton Malone books. After not reading any of his later books, I decide to read this new one. Wow! Set in South Georgia, the reader meets a lawyer who has returned to his hometown to be legal council to a hugh paper factory. Why is the factory booming while others have shut down? And what is this priority list that he has found? Suspenseful, page turning , and who knew what kept me reading until the end. Kudos to Steve Berry and I look forward to read future books from him.

I really tried for this ARC, but I just can’t do it. Even bought the audio in hopes it would help, but no it’s not for me. So many character POVs, it jumps around constantly and none of the characters are well developed, differentiated, or described. I’ve regrettably decided to DNF at 30% Thanks Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Steve Berry goes in a new direction this time
While I appreciate the artist's willingness to do something different the lack of experience shows through for me.

Reading more like recent Grisham it was less on the story and more lecture
The multitude of characters also left them all 2 dimensional instead of less but deeper creations

As the first in a new way, I would give the sequel an honest attempt.

I am a huge fan of Steve Berry and loved The List. It mentions my hometown of Statesboro, Georgia and my alma mater, Georgia Southern University.

After ten-years ,Brent Walker is returning home to Concord, a quaint town in central Georgia nestled close to the Savannah River. Two years ago, his father died, and now Brent, hired by Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company as its assistant general counsel, is returning to care for his ailing mother. Southern Republic has always invested in Concord, creating a community where its employees live, work, and retire. But things are certainly not what they seem to be.

Southern Republic's success is based largely on a highly unorthodox system to control costs, known only to the three owners of the company. Now, one of them, Christopher Bozin, has had a change of heart. Brent's return to Concord, provides Christopher's conscience with a chance at redemption. So a plan is set into motion, one that will not only implicate Bozin's two partners, but also place Walker at odds with men who want him dead. This was one of Berry's frst books but it was so good.

I have read a couple of the Cotton Malone series by Steve Berry, but that's all. This one is very different.

Description:
After a ten-year self-imposed exile, Brent Walker is returning home to Concord, a quaint town in central Georgia nestled close to the Savannah River. Two years ago, his father died, and now Brent, hired by Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company as its assistant general counsel, is returning to care for his ailing mother.

For decades, Southern Republic has invested heavily in Concord, creating a thriving community where its employees live, work, and retire. But the genteel sheen of this quiet town is deceiving, and when a list of cryptic code surfaces, Brent starts to see the cracks.

Southern Republic’s success is based largely on a highly unorthodox and deadly system to control costs, known only to the three owners of the company. Now, one of them, Christopher Bozin, has had a change of heart. Brent’s return to Concord, a move Bozin personally orchestrated, provides his conscience with a chance at redemption. So a plan is set into motion, one that will not only criminally implicate Bozin’s two partners, but also place Brent Walker square in the crosshairs of men who want him dead—with only one course left available.

Find and reveal the shocking secret of the list.

My Thoughts:
The nightmare Brent uncovers from the list is a shocking and horrific implementation of a program hidden by the owners of Southern Republic. Greed is at the root and the result is cold-blooded. What these three men did is unforgivable. Brent is definitely in danger. There is a great deal of tension and edge of your seat action. This is a great legal thriller and I truly enjoyed the book.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy.

(3.75 stars)
Steve Berry is well known for his long-running Cotton Malone series, but fans should check out his new standalone, The List. He has written a tale of greed that unfortunately seemed fairly believable. Imagine a paper manufacturing company owned by three men, one that dominates a small town in Georgia. And imagine that they self-insure and provide good medical benefits and pensions to their workers. Now imagine that workers comp and health claims are getting way too expensive and the owners decide to literally kill off their problems to control costs. This is the idea behind The List.

Brent Walker is a young lawyer who grew up in the town but fled to Atlanta for ten years, for personal reasons. Now he’s back, to help care for his mother after the death of his father. This is not primarily a legal thriller; Walker has come back to town to take up a job with the paper company. Once back in town, he renews his friendship with one of the labor leaders at the company, Hank Reed, and with a woman he loved too, who happens to be Reed’s daughter. Reed and Walker make a great pair, their friendship going back years. They need to readjust their relationship, now that Walker is working for the company, as opposed to representing claimants, as he had done before leaving town. With labor contract negotiations looming, Reed looks for any advantage he can get, and with the help of another employee, uncovers some potentially important secret information. This winds up putting both Reed and Walker in the sights of the owners and their “associates.”

Berry writes in his author’s note that he started writing this many years ago, and shelved it. A few years ago, he took it out, reworked and updated it and here we are.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance readers e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.