I've read every Steve Berry book and was a little disappointed at first that this wasn't a Cotton-based book, but WOW, it was amazing! I really loved the mystery, the conspiracy, the action...this would easily make a good thriller movie. It isn't difficult or far-fetched to imagine that there are towns spread across the country currently being run like this one, especially with how he breaks down all the intricacies and interwoven pieces that fit together neatly. Watching Brent muddle through his personal revelations while fighting for his life added another layer of depth to the story. A great read for anyone who likes intrigue and an intellectual piece.

The List by Steve Berry is a lightning-paced, complex thriller that blurs the line between fiction and frightening possibility. The reader is taken to Georgia, where Brent, an attorney for a local paper mill, and his longtime friend Hank, the union boss, find “a list” that shows a dark secret the company is trying to keep.
From the first page, I was hooked and by the end, I found myself wondering just how much of this story might already be happening behind the scenes. Berry masterfully crafts a world of hidden agendas, secret networks, and chilling conspiracies that feel almost too plausible. Adding the bonus development of Brent’s character outside of his job and THEN the letter he gets with even more connection to himself and this list… Wow! You get that revenge, Brent! This was an easy 5 stars for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC.

This was the first book I have read from Steve Berry, and I was thrilled with how the book ended.
The main character, Brent Walker, returns home from a 10-year hiatus after his father died to help his mother and work for the paper mill in town as the assistant general counsel.

While the book had a lot of crime (the owners of the paper mill had a "list" of priorities to be killed that were costing the company money), it also had a lot of legal talk and negotiations between the unions and the owners. I didn't understand a lot of that and just skimmed those parts; I'm not a lawyer so it didn't make sense lol. I do think it did help with the story and the understanding of how Brent and Hank came upon the list and put themselves in danger.

I really enjoyed the ending because I never saw it coming, it literally had me gasp out loud with what happened.

I am very happy with this book and will definitely give Steve Berry a try again with any future novels.

The List is unlike any other Steve Berry novel, but I think his fans will have no trouble enjoying it despite a relatively slow start. Once the novel is fully geared up, it races to the finish. Who knew a paper company could be so immoral? Because they self-finance their pensions and health programs, the three owners secretly have a crew who kills anyone whose needs therein might be too expensive, and the killings are so natural that they are not questioned, until Brent comes along. He has left his assistant DA's job in Atlanta after ten years to come home to take care of his mother. His new job as assistant counsel at the paper plant gets him in the door to head the action that Berry is known for. Throw in a very unconvincing romance and you have it all.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Brent Walker returns to his hometown of Concord, Georgia to take a position with the huge paper company, Southern Republic. As he returns, he is forced to face painful memories of his father's accidental death and his wife's suicide, while looking out for his mother who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. He also has to confront his feelings for Ashley, whom he has always loved, even though he married someone else. On the job, he is somewhat inexplicably thrown into labor negotiations, with his friend and Ashley's father at the heart representing one of the unions. When one of the owners of Southern Republic visits Brent at his home and gives him a mysterious envelope, Brent begins to suspect that all is not what it seems among the owner of the paper mill.

Though this book started a little slowly, it is necessary to know the early history of Southern Republic and what caused Brent to leave his hometown in the first place. Once the pace picked up, there was no slowing down! This is a stay up all night sort of suspense where the reader will cheer for the good guys to prevail despite all odds, and hold onto that breath of relief until the very last page.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Given that The List is my first Steve Berry book to read, I was very happy that it was a stand-alone novel. Like the author, the lead character, Brent Walker, is an attorney. Brent moves to a small town in central Georgia to care for his widowed mother after getting a job with a large employer in town, a paper company whose owners secretively control certain administrative costs in a deadly manner.

The book’s setting was perfect and beautifully captured the feel of a small Southern town (and Atlanta). The story was an easy read, perfect for a summertime escape. Despite the chapters being short, the story was fun, and I often found myself reading more than I had originally intended. While none of the heroes were perfect, they were relatable and easy to root for.

The one minor drawback for me was that certain business discussions did not ring true based on my own experiences with similarly sized companies. While the crimes central to the story were likely not intended to be realistic, I found myself distracted by small things such as the estimated number of victims and the resulting savings the crimes generated.

The author started this book many years ago and acknowledges its similarities to John Grisham’s The Firm. I’ve read The Firm a couple of times and picked up on this even before reading his commentary at the end of the book. I think it’s fair to say that if you enjoyed The Firm, the odds are very good you will also enjoy The List.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read this fun book. I will be open to other books by Steve Berry down the road. The above opinions are my own.

This is a fitting tale for today’s environment where CEO’s are not particularly favorably viewed.
I gave it the following SCORE:
Setting: Present day, Atlanta and a small town in Georgia
Characters: Attorney Brent Walker, his family, the administration and staff of Southern Republic, a paper industry conglomerate
Overview: Walker returns to his home town of Concord, warmly greeted by an old friend in the electrical union of Southern Republic and more warmly greeted by an old girlfriend. Union negotiations have started, and the company’s triumvirate of CEOs has operated a long-standing program where “The List” is comprised of employees whose long-term medical expenses have a huge negative effect on corporate earnings. Those employees are “prioritized” and meet unfortunate, clever, and mostly undetectable ends by a professional security team. Walker, of course, is involved in more than one way, and finds time in between courting his old girlfriend to try and correct the evil deeds, one of which had hit close to home.
Recommendation: I rate this book 4 stars
Extras: While the topic is contemporary, this book has the tone of the older style of thriller writing and was, in fact, written in 2011, shelved, and updated for 2025 publication.
Thanx to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to provide this candid review.

As an avid Cotton Malone readers, I wasn’t sure what to expect here. But man this was terrific. Creative plot. Great characters. Perfect setting. Well done!

The List centers around Brent Walker, a lawyer returning to his hometown in rural Georgia near Statesboro. His new role as associate counsel for Southern Republic Pulp and Paper quickly puts him at odds with his longtime friend and mentor, Hank Reed, who serves as liaison to the paper mill’s three labor unions. Complicating matters further is Brent’s romantic history with Hank’s daughter, Ashley.

During a brief power outage, Hank stumbles upon a mysterious list of numbers while snooping through the company’s computer files. This list becomes the heart of the story. He turns it over to Brent, and together they begin to unravel a horrifying conspiracy—one that the mill’s three owners have kept buried for decades. If exposed, the secret would destroy the mill. Despite working on opposing sides, Brent and Hank’s bond drives them to confront the danger, and as the stakes rise, they must act quickly to reveal the truth before they—or their families—are silenced permanently.

The List is the definition of a slow burn; it took about 25% of the book before the pace truly picked up. However, the wait was worth it. The characters are well-developed, and the story is compelling. A few elements, like Brent’s convenient access to a microcassette recorder, felt far-fetched—but the author’s note explains that the story was conceived and initially written in 1992, which helps contextualize those moments.

This was my first Steve Berry novel, but it certainly won’t be my last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Book Group for the advance copy.

Thank you NetGalley for a pre-release of The List.

Meet Brent Walker, Steve Berry’s new hero. Brent finds himself fighting for justice with a target on his back. When you pick up this novel, prepare yourself for non-stop action!

Brent has moved back to his hometown. He’s employed by the paper mill as an assistant counsel. He rekindles his friendship with Hank who also works there. They discover things that have been going on at the mill and try to find out how this is happening. I hate to tell you more, you just have to read it. Really great book!

The List is a very different book from Steve Berry, who many readers will associate with the long-running Cotton Malone series. Turns out, this was a book conceived and mostly written years ago, and then shelved by the author. Now it is available, and readers won't be disappointed if they are looking for a good suspense novel to read over the summer.

The lead character is Brent Walker, an attorney who has retuned home to his native town of Concord after being gone for 10 years. Much has happened during the time and after his father died two years earlier and his mother's declining health, Brent decides to return home to become a attorney specializing in workers compensation claims with the Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company, a dominant corporation in a small town with what turns out to be a checkered past. Concord is also where Walker's love interest lives, adding a relationship twist to the story.

Longtime friend and Union Boss Hank Reed represents the workers who are gearing up for negotiations with management over a new contract with two other unions. Southern has successfully negotiated new contracts over the years to keep workers happy while continuing to build a strong company, which is controlled by three powerful members that make up the Board of the Directors of this privately held firm.

The "list" in the title refers to a page with a set of nine numbers that Hank has come into possession of recently, found buried in a secret file on the company mainframe. Reed enlists Brent to help him understand what the list represents and if it can be used someway in negotiations.

The secret is discovered, and sets Brent and Hank on a collision course with the company officers, one that involves danger, not business. The suspense builds to an ending that has several surprises.

In the acknowledgement section of the book, Berry explains he was influenced by John Grisham's book The Firm when developing this story. Brent Walker is somewhat similar to Mitch McDeere of the Firm but this is not a mafia story.

I want to thank the author, Net Galley, and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to review an ARC of this new book. I give it a 5 star rating.

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Steve Berry never disappoints. I have read everything he has written and this was exceptional. The build up the story etc was fantastic. Thanks for the opportunity to read.

The List is a well written, fast paced book filled with details that help the reader feel what small town living is like. However, there is a conspiracy that is undermining the idyllic life. The List is a book that shows what happens when people go for monetary rewards regardless of consequences and how it affects the small town. Definitely recommend this book.

Steve Berry did it again! I have loved his Cotton Malone series, but The List might have set the bar as my new favorite from him. It includes many aspects of his other series, but it’s unique as well. The List has many twists and turns that you come to love from Steve Berry. I can’t wait for the next one!

Started out slow but once it got going…it got going! I couldn’t put it down once I really got into it. Loved the suspense and the twist!

I was soooooooo close to DNFing this one. I really didn't like the first 10% or so -- nothing really clicked and it just didn't connect with me. I'm actually not real sure why I didn't stop reading, but I'm glad I didn't. I came to quite enjoy this suspenseful novel, my first read from Steve Berry (and it won't be my last). There aren't many company towns still around anymore, but I came to understand and enjoy the author's representation of one. It took a little suspension of belief to accept the underlying premise of the novel, but, once that happened, I was all in.

Would I read more from the author? Hell, yes.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

As someone who loves Berry’s Cotton Malone books, I immediately wanted to read this standalone thriller. Let me tell you, this book may be his best yet. I felt like I could not put this book down. Fantastic story with great characters. Could this happen in 2025? Who knows but it’s fun. Overall well written and great read.

I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re into fast-paced thrillers with historical twists, The List by Steve Berry is a must-read. The story revolves around a mysterious list that could change history, and the action never slows down. With sharp writing, intriguing characters, and plenty of twists, this book keeps you hooked from start to finish.

Berry expertly blends history with modern suspense, making for a thrilling, unputdownable read. Perfect for fans of conspiracy and adventure, The List will have you racing to the end.

I’m a big Steve Berry fan. I’ve read all his Cotton Malone books. While outrageous at times, still undeniably enjoyable. This book, was tough for me. It seemed to have a real slow burn to get going, then once it got going it there was too much to catch up on. Also there were several pieces (Ashley, S Lou Greene) that seemed added to fill space but not add a whole lot of substance. Overall it was fine, but not the top notch Steve Berry I am used to.

Thanks to Steve Berry, NetGalley, and Grand Central Publishing for providing me an advanced ready copy.