I have enjoyed the Steve Berry novels such as The Amber Room with a little history mixed in with the suspense. The List felt a little different but was very good. This felt a little more like the plot of a John Grisham novel. I am thinking of The Firm.
The characters were well drawn and the plot well developed. I don't want to summarize but know that this was worth the read.

When I was sent the email to read an early copy of the list I had never heard of Steve Berry before. What made me get it was the qoute "If you like Harlan Coben" so I decided to give it a try. WOW! I was blown away with how much I enjoyed this. I am planning hitting some of Steve Berry's back list which there are a ton!

The List was full of corruption and suspense. The characters were all great, the so called bad guys were easy to hate. Kept me on my toes until the final page. I do recommend if you read this to follow up with the authors note at the end.

Overall I really enjoyed The List.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for a gifted copy in exchange for a honest review.

After a ten year absence, Brent Walker is returning home to Concord, Georgia. He grew up there and his ailing mom is still there. Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company has been a main employer there for decades. They are heavily invested in the town. Maybe too invested. Brent comes across a list of numbers that are part of some sort of code. He soon learns about a cost cutting scheme that is deadly. Can Brent and his co-worker decipher this code before they both become casualties of it? This is a great book and Steve Berry's writing is as good or better than that of John Grisham. Thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC of this book. It's so good!

Having enjoyed Steve Berry’s books in the past I so looked forward to The List and it did not disappoint. Brent, a lawyer recently hired by a paper mill is given information by one of the owners, who has decided to turn in his partners after having a change of heart over their deadly, secretive list they are using to save money. Quick thinking Brent always seems to have Plan B ready and waiting and stays one step ahead of the hit squad hired to take him out. The sequence of events is a never ending thrill ride that kept me on the edge of my seat. My personal favorite is the duck down low through the branches move. Keep your eyes open and keep looking over your shoulder as you devour this read. You will not be able to put it down.
Many thanks to Steve Berry, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this one, to be published on July 22nd. Keeping my fingers crossed that I am never placed on “the list”.

First let me thank NetGalley for allowing me access to this book early. I didn't know Steve Berry could write anything but historical fiction, and as he is one of the best today, that's a good thing. This list while not a historical fiction genre, one must read the acknowledgements to find out it actually is. It is part autobiographical, a love story,a mystery, a thriller, a horror story and a crime fiction story. If I didn't know better, I'd be thinking it was about the Mafia. How to be incredibly successful in business, own everything and manage expenses. Owning everything sometimes happens, but the way the Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company manages expenses is quite the twist. A story so good, even Cotton Malone couldn't make it better.

The List is an older manuscript that was updated by Steve Berry.

"A lawyer, Brent Walker, returns to his hometown to take care of his mother and gets caught up in a scheme by the owners of the largest employer in the county. They have found a way to cut costs...with murder. Now Brent and his family may be in danger."

Not sure why Berry pulled this out of the drawer. Robin Cook has been writing books with this plot for a long time. There is a lot of description - what guys are wearing, what kind of art is on the wall in the apartment/house, what kind of car they drive and lots of relationship backstory - Lots of unnecessary filler. All of the main characters are men. All of the women are fringe characters.
If you like morally-bankrupt characters there are a couple you'll love here - can you be more greedy and corrupt than killing employees to save money?

Wild, explosive ending to this one. Berry waits 'til the end to let you know how things will work out. He does keep you guessing.

The List is a fast-paced, action=packed novella that offers a gripping taste of his signature style- blending history, conspiracy, and political intrigue. Though shorter that his full-length novels, this story still packs a punch, following the protagonist, Cotton Malone, as he uncovers a dangerous plot involving a secret list of powerful individuals.

Set against the backdrop of Washington, D.C., the plot kicks off quickly and wastes not time diving into suspense. Berry's tight prose and knack for pacing keep the story moving briskly, making it an ideal quick read for fans of thrillers. While the character development is limited due to the novella's brevity, the plot is compelling enough to keep readers engaged.

Satisfying, Bite-Sized Thriller and Intense! 3.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy! This book will be released 7/22/25.

A company views cost cutting in a whole new way

Ten years ago Brent Walker left behind his small Georgia hometown of Concord after his wife's tragic death and forged a new path in his legal career as a prosecutor for the DA's office in Atlanta. He recently realized that he needed to return home, both because of his mother's recent health diagnosis (his father is dead, he has no siblings) and the acknowledgement that he has to come to terms with the pain of his past. He accepts a job as assistant general corporate counsel for the largest employer in Woods County, Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company, for whom his father had worked for years. His good friend Hank Reed works there also and is the the head of one of the three unions at Southern Republic. Before Brent left town, he and Hank had often teamed up to go after the company for one reason or another...its more than likely that he was hired because of the insight into Hank he might provide in the upcoming contract negotiations. As Brent starts to settle in to his new job, Hank gives him a list of numbers (obtained with questionable tactics) to see if he can figure out what, if anything, they mean. Hank is hoping that whatever it is will give him an edge at the negotiating table, but it is much more than that. It is proof of an unusual and deadly system that Southern Republic has had in place for years, one that only the three owners of the company (and a small group of men who carry out the instructions given to them as a result of the program) know anything about. One of the owners, it seems, has had a change of heart and is hoping that Brent will use his knowledge of the law to bring the situation to light...but it puts a target on Brent's back instead, and on Hank's and those of the people they love as well. Can he figure things out before they can get to him?
Readers of author Steve Berry know him for his Cotton Malone mysteries and their offshoots, action/adventure tales that all turn on an unknown bit of history.. The List represents a departure from that; it is a straight-up legal thriller in which villainous people in power are playing God with the lives of other people. Brent is a flawed character with whom the reader can easily identify, a good son who loves his mother and is willing to uproot his life in order to be there for her as her illness progresses. His romantic life is a mess; he and his late wife were not a good fit, and the woman he truly loves has made a hash of much of her love life as well. The pace of the story is steady and the suspense continually ramps up as the book progresses, with each chapter representing a single day on the calendar from the points of view of different characters. The portrayal of a small town which relies on what they think is a benevolent large company (they pay well and offer an excellent benefits package, and regularly give back to the community, after all) and the corrupt machinations from the people at the top that have been so effectively camouflaged for years is effectively done. I was interested to read in the author's notes at the end of the book that he actually started the book in the early 1990's, revisiting and reworking it during the COVID lockdowns; not surprisingly, Grisham' The Firm (which was a breakout hit back then) was an influence on the manuscript. I found it an addictive read, a more-than-solid addition to the legal thriller genre, and would recommend any john Grisham/David Baldacci/Greg Iles fans pick up a copy to enjoy. My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me access to this entertaining read from a favorite author in exchange for my honest review.

Not the Berry you've come to know. This is a topical thriller about a company trying to keep costs down at the expense of, well, its employees. Brent and his pal Hank are both working for the paper company when they discover that someone has come up with a scheme to eliminate employees who are costing money, especially health care money. What are the mysterious numbers on the list? A rueful co-conspirator in the scheme helps out with a lead but Brent and Hank are on their own as they find themselves targets. To be honest, this plot is familiar but Berry is a good storyteller who will keep you turning the pages. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good one for the plane.

I really enjoyed this book. Very different than Mr. Betty's previous books. The idea that a company would murder employees and retirees in order to keep medical cost down was intriguing. The book was well placed an kept me engaged.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC for my honest review. The List is about a lawyer, Brent, who returns to his hometown in Georgia. He is returning to take on a new job as associate counsel for a pulp and paper company. His long time friend, Hank, serves as the liaison to this paper mills labor unions and this automatically causes issues between them. During a power outage, Hank comes across a list of numbers as he was going through the company computer files. He decides to give the List to Brent. This List becomes the center of this book as things come to light about a secret that could ultimately destroy everything. The book started out very slow for me. However, it did get better as the progressed in to quote the thriller.

This book was such a drag to get through. Which I must say is sad because I have always been a lover of Steve Berry’s Cotton Malone series. It’s pretty clear (as he says in his authors note) that it was one of the first manuscripts he wrote. The characters are not likable, difficult to connect with and don’t really scream for any kind of liking.

I’ll await the next Cotton Malone novel instead.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the ability to access this arc.

timely and interesting thriller about a company which has a list <spoiler> that tells them who they should kill to reduce their losses based on expenses the workers have from retirement or health insurance </spoiler>. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The story kept me engaged from start to finish and had some moments that really stood out. Overall, it offered an entertaining reading experience.

Brent Walker has returned to his hometown of Concord, Georgia after a decade away. He’s come back to take a role on the legal team for Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company, help his ailing mother, and face his past personal failures and regrets.

But what starts as a promising new step in his career quickly becomes deadly. Brent and his longtime pal and local IBEW leader, Hank Reed, uncover Southern Republic’s unorthodox (and illegal) means to keep self-insurance costs down at the company. This discovery will risk not only their own lives, but the lives of those they love. Can Brent and Hank outsmart the greedy corporate shysters who have been playing this game for decades?

I’ve been a big fan of Steve Berry for years now, and this standalone novel is something a bit different for him. It combines Berry’s fast-paced suspense style with a Grishman-esque legal side to create an exciting thriller. Anyone who has enjoyed this author’s other books will not be disappointed. Lots of great backstory, interesting characters, plot twists, and pacing that ramps up as it goes make this a definite must read!

I loved this! It is so different than all of his other books. He wrote this years ago and didn’t publish it. He acknowledges that Grisham’s The Firm was one of the top books at the time, and he got inspiration from it. Considering that is my FAVORITE book, I definitely loved this one. There was murder, and corporate law, and union negotiations, and so much going on. I loved Brent, and where this story took him. There was a moment where everything clicked together and I was floored. I love when that happens. Can’t wait for this author’s next one!

The List by Steve Berry is a very highly recommended standalone thriller. This novel was started years ago, one of the first books Berry wrote, then put aside for years until he pulled it out and started working on it again in 2020. Subsequently, it reads more like a thriller from years ago.

After his father's death, Attorney Brent Walker is returning home to Concord, Georgia, to care for his elderly mother. He has accepted the position of assistant general counsel for the Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company, which is the towns main employer. His longtime friend Hank Reed is a union official at Southern Republic and Walker will be working with him negotiating labor contracts with the union.

What they don't know, at first, is that the company's three owners have instituted a lethal program called the Priority program to cut costs. They have hire professionals to eliminate their list of employees or retirees who are costing the company money. they have to make the deaths look natural. One of the three, Christopher Bozin, is dying and desires to repent of his actions so he wants to exposes his partners evil deeds to Walker and Reed.

Readers are privy to the professional murders occurring right away so they understand some of what is going on before Walker or Reed. The writing is very good, the pace is even at first and then picks up as the story unfolds over twenty days. One indication that this was written years ago is that it doesn't depend upon numerous twists to hold your interest. Instead of gimmicks, twists, or constant surprises, the narrative logically follows both sides of the action with the nefarious murders and the investigation, behind the scenes. This is what makes it resemble a thriller from several years ago.

The characters are fully realized and portrayed as realistic individuals with strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately they are both good men who have found themselves working for unscrupulous men, and they want to stop them. There is plenty of backstory provided and character growth along the way.

The List is a great choice for readers who enjoy John Grisham's thrillers. Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

The List exceeded my expectations!

A self-insured company seeks to cut expenses by forcibly curtailing retiree health benefits. Corporate greed at its’ ugliest. Thus, The List! The characters are well detailed which gives you an understanding and insight into their motivations and actions.

The intensity builds as the plot develops, a few bits might be expected, but for the most part the twists and turns are not predictable. It’s a tale of good vs evil with a lot of suspense. The writing and involved plot reminded me of Baldacci and Grisham and definitely kept me guessing and reading.

The List is a stand alone book written and improved over a span of many years according to Berry. I look forward to reading more like this from Steve Berry.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

After a ten-year absence, attorney Brent Walker has returned home to Concord, Georgia, to help care for his widowed mother. He has taken a job as an assistant general counsel with a paper mill, Concord’s largest employer. The company has created a thriving community for its employees, but Brent discovers a list that makes him wonder about certain aspects of the company.

Steve Berry is one of my all-time favorite authors. I especially love his Cotton Malone books, but will read anything he writes, so I was excited to read this book. There was more emphasis on the legal side of the story in this book than in the Malone books, but it didn’t get overly technical about the law, which I appreciated.

I liked Brent and most of the people around him, although it took a while to figure out who could be trusted. I know he’s just a character in a book, but I kept imagining how difficult it must have been for him to convince long-time employees of the company that there was something very wrong there. What was wrong is the entire focus of the book, and I became more and more incredulous as the story developed. Not only was it all hard to believe, it was easy to see how something like this could happen in real life, in today’s time, and that made me shudder.

I can’t wait to read Mr. Berry’s next book, another Cotton Malone book due out early in 2026.

Really liked this book! What a great premise for a mystery - so plausible and made you think about how rising costs have these ripple effects (not that I'm condoning what they did to resolve that, lol)

I really liked Brent, he was a regular, conflicted guy - with his own host of issues.

I liked how the pace picked up in the later half of the book, it was just slightly slow in the beginning with all the set up. But I really couldn't put it down as I hit the halfway point. Forgot how much I liked this author!!