Great read

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, to the point that by the end I was carrying my iPad around the house while doing projects so I could continue to read. The story has a great premise: a paper mill's owners have been having employees with high medical expenses killed to save the cost of their healthcare. It moves quickly and there were no dragging areas or ridiculous or far-fetched plot points (no 6 armed men fighting vainly against our hero). There is a sub-plot with a little romance, but not much. People die, but it is not gory and there is not much, if any, sex or swearing for those who avoid that.

Highly recommended.

I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The story begins with the murder 2 years earlier of an old fisherman who was identified as a priority. The story then resumes with Brent Walker returning to his old home as an assistant General Councilor for a paper company in his old hometown where his father worked prior to his retirement. In his new role he will be primarily handling Workers' Comp cases. In addition, he is reunited with his old friend Hank who is the leader of the Unions at the site. Hank has requested information from his friend the IT supervisor in advance of the new Union contract negotiations. As a result, a restricted file was uncovered named Priority and a list was printed out that only contained numbers. Because of this event, both Brent and Hank now came into danger.

This list pertained to identification of actions that were to be performed. The only people that initiated the list was the 3 founders of the paper company. After Chris Bozin, one of the originators learned that he had a short time to live, put i to identify what Priority was about and how sorry he was that it was started. He convinced Walker to be in charge of the reveal. Once it started, Chris was killed and the other two originators attempted to prevent from accomplishing his mission.

To discover what and why Priority came about, what the list represented, what actions Brent and Hank had to take to be able to survive, then you need to read this book. It is definitely worth your time!

Another great read by Steve Berry. Since not part of a series, jumped right into this one. Early novel that wasn't publish, and has since been updated, and it was very enjoyable. It had a great story/plot, with great characters and pacing. I also listened along with the audiobook and the reader was very good too. Will definitely need to pick back up in his series books, and catch up. #TheList #NetGalley

I enjoyed this read overall. I have not read any of Steve Berry's previous writings, but he came highly recommended. I think it's awesome that this is one of his first stories written, that has evolved over the year. The storyline is creative and plausible.

My main criticism is it took a bit for me to get into the story. However, I understand with new characters, Berry has to build the world to lay the groundwork for the suspense.

I ultimately have given 4 stars, and I will read more Steve Berry in the future!

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC!

Brent Walker returns to Concord, GA to work as an assistant general counsel for Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company after being in Atlanta working as a prosecutor with the Fulton County DA office. Brent’s father died two years earlier and his mother’s health has started to decline, Southern Republic is a huge company that has invested heavily in the town of Concord. Brent is brought in at the start of negotiations for labor contracts with all three of the company’s unions. The lead negotiator for the unions is Hank Reed, an old friend of Brent and the father of Ashley, the woman who has always been on Brent’s mind. As the negotiating process begins, one of the owners asks to meet with Brent and Brent starts to see signs that everything is not what it seems with the company. The company is owned by three men and their methods for success are troubling to say the least. I’m not going to give away everything, so I’ll just give my impressions of the book. Overall, I liked the book but I have to say, the first part of the book kind of dragged for me. The second half picked up and held my interest though. The book reminded me a lot of John Grisham’s book The Firm. I give the book 3.5 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on July 22, 2025.

I really was hoping to like this (the premise sounded so intriguing!) but found it to be quite a disappointment. As the author notes, this is one of the first books he ever wrote, heavily influenced by John Grisham, and it is only now (decades later) being reworked for publication. It definitely feels like an early career book--both in the writing, which feels very unsophisticated, and in the actual plot, which is full of tech references that feel quite dated. The characterization is poor, the plot got a bit bogged down in details of union negotiations, and the big secret of "the list" isn't kept all that secret from the reader for all that long. Fans of John Grisham might give this a go, but readers of the author's Cotton Malone series are likely to be disappointed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"The List” by Steve Berry is a fast-paced, 5-star read! Brent Walker returns to his hometown of Concord, Georgia, as the newly hired assistant general counsel for the Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company. The local paper mill provides enough jobs to keep the small town alive, but at what cost?

I was hooked from the very first word to the last. The story offers plenty of character development, giving us a deep look into Brent's background and the reasons he originally left town. There’s also a solid amount of context surrounding the paper mill and its owners, helping the reader understand how their questionable business practices came to be.

While the story doesn’t rely heavily on twists, since we learn details from both sides as the plot unfolds, it delivers enough action and tension to keep the pages turning. Even before reading the Writer’s Note at the end, I was definitely getting The Firm vibes, though this book has plenty of differences.

I haven’t started the Cotton Malone series yet, but after reading this one, I think it just moved up my TBR!

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, Steve Berry, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

This is a terrific suspense novel from one of my favorite authors (love his Cotton Malone series). The story was a bit slow at the start, but, wow, does the action pick up! Lawyer Brent Walker returns to his small-town Georgia hometown to work for the largest company in the area, Southern Republic Pulp and Paper, in their corporate law division. Brent has mixed feelings about returning to the area, as he found out that he has a daughter from his ex-wife, but he realizes he wants to be in both of their lives. His father died mysteriously while fishing in a his boat in a local reservoir -- the cause of death was determined to be drowning after he allegedly hit his head on a branch and fell overboard, which is something that Brent has never fully come to terms with.

Brent likes his new job until his friend, Hank, who works at the paper mill as an electrician and is active with the company's labor unions, accidentally comes across a "list" of numbers. Hank shows the list to Brent to help decipher it. What follows is a high-stakes thriller with corporate greed, murder, theft and intrigue that kept me glued to my Kindle.

Mr. Berry says in a Writer's Note that he first wrote a draft of the story in 1992 -- when John Grisham's best-seller, The Firm, became a hit (I read The Firm when it was released and was mesmerized). Mr. Berry knew his idea needed more work, and years later, he decided to give it another go. I am so glad he did! The novel has interesting characters, an intriguing story and plenty of action -- it would be a perfect movie.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Grand Central Publishing for the eARC and the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Well, one of my favorite authors has come through again - most likely, at around 14 years, setting a record for the longest time a book sat in a drawer before being updated and actually seeing the light of print. It just goes to show, I guess, that excellent writing is timeless.

The story itself could have been taken straight from a John Grisham playbook; the relatively young lawyer at the heart of the story in many ways seemed interchangeable with Mitch McDeere, who kicked off Grisham's popular "The Firm" series that debuted in 2010. But the hero here, Brent Walker, is definitely his own man (even if he's not quite sure who that really is). He's just left his 10-year job in Atlanta to return home to central Georgia small-town Concord to take the job of assistant general counsel at Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Co., which accounts for the lion's share of the local employment base. Originally, he left right after his soon-to-be ex-wife died unexpectedly, almost smothered in guilt that somehow he was responsible.

But after his father's unexpected death - he was retired from his long-time job at the paper mill - Brent's mother's health is failing and she needs his help. So, he packed up his things and returned to the family home and a new job that puts him right at the start of negotiations for labor contracts with all three of the company's unions. The lead negotiator, Hank Reed, is an old friend; but can they maintain that close relationship when they're now on opposite sides of the bargaining table?

As it turns out, that's not their biggest concern. It seems that the three company owners, over a period of years, have engineered and put into practice a deadly plan to keep the self-insured company financially afloat (unbeknownst to either Hank or Brent, of course). But one of those owners - in fact, the one who originally devised the plan - is in the midst of his own health crisis. And not only does he want to unburden his soul before he exits this world, he wants to take down his partners in the process.

For their part, Hank and Brent are free to deal with their changing relationship and Brent's rekindled one with Ashley, who happens to be Hank's daughter. But that all changes when that third partner seeks private help from Brent and Hank's illicit sleuthing in company computers turns up a list of numbers neither of them understand (and certainly were never expected to have in their possession). That, in turn, puts Brent, Hank and their families in the sights of some very powerful and dangerous people who wll do anything to keep their good thing going.

It's a wild ride right up to the end, and while I can't provide details, I can say I'm very happy that the author decided to save the story from the circular file. It's definitely a winner in my book, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to get in on the action by way of a pre-release copy.

This is one list you do not want to find yourself on! A very suspenseful story of what happens when greed wins out above all else. Mr. Berry asked himself “What if a company didn’t bother with due process? What if, instead. in just permanently eliminated any problems?”. What is the impact of that approach to business and how does something so evil go undetected for so long?

The List is a real nail-biter. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance review copy. The List is out July 22.

4 ⭐️
Expected publication date - July 22, 2025

WHAT I LOVED - The storyline. Business saves itself money without caring how it affects the people.

WHAT I LIKED - The creative ways to get rid of the "Priorities."

WHAT I DISLIKED - I expected more of a legal aspect since the main character was a lawyer, but all in all, it was still intriguing.

WOULD I RECOMMEND - Depending on the audience. It was a bit of a slow go the first half or so.

Thank you, NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing, for this eARC for review. All opinions are my own.

Brent Walker is heading back to Concord, Georgia, after a decade away. He’s there to take care of his mom and start fresh with a new job at Southern Republic Pulp and Paper. Sounds calm enough, right? Not quite. When a strange coded list surfaces, Brent starts noticing the cracks in this polished little company town. Southern Republic isn’t just a big employer — it’s hiding a dangerous secret, one that only three people know. One of them wants to make it right. Brent? He’s about to find himself tangled in a deadly plan with redemption, corruption, and a whole lot of risk riding on what he uncovers.

Spillin’ the Book Tea:
This one gave me definite Grisham vibes, and I was into it. The premise is simple on the surface, but once Brent lands in Concord, you realize there’s nothing straightforward about this little Southern town or the company running it. The whole thing has this eerie, slow-burn corporate tension that starts like a whisper and ends in a sprint. I loved how flawed the characters were, no polish, no hero complex, just real people in a high-stakes mess.

There’s something refreshing about how it doesn’t try to be flashy. The plot is unique, the tone is clean, and the business side of things is genuinely shady in the best way (for a reader). That morally gray corporate backdrop gives the whole story a real-world edge without over-explaining it. You’re just dropped into the mess and expected to keep up. The pace picks up hard once it clicks into motion, and it’s full throttle to the end.

Also, heads up, this book was written years ago, even though it’s just now hitting shelves. So yes, there are references and moments that feel dated, but honestly, that added a bit of charm to it. A time capsule with murder and legal drama? Sign me up. Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to provide this candid review.

The Vibes It Brings:
🏡 Small town with big secrets
💼 Corporate corruption
🧑‍⚖️ Legal drama
🔥 Slow burn to high stakes
💔 Flawed but grounded characters
📜 Mysterious code
📅 Slightly retro setting
🧠 Smart but accessible plot
🕵️ Redemption with a target on his back

TL;DR:
If you like your legal thrillers with a shadowy corporate twist and characters who feel more human than heroic, this one’s worth picking up. It’s smart, steady, and satisfying without being overdone. Think Grisham, but with more grit A solid, enjoyable read that makes its own quiet impact.

Riveting thriller! I couldn’t put it done and read it in a day! This isn’t the typical Steve Berry thriller. It centers on a paper mill in southern Georgia where it appears employees and retirees are dying at rather alarming rates. Brent Walker, lawyer, is returning to town to take position at the mill. Brent plays a small role until the end when he’s put to the test to escape those seeking to kill him. The real energy of the story lies in dealings of the three men who own the paper mill. I liked the pacing and the story - be sure to read these kinds author’s note at the end too. It was definitely a good read! I’d like to thank the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book.

What a treat! As a long-time Cotton Malone fan, I really wasn't sure what to expect from this standalone novel. A sleepy Southern Georgia paper mill town and lots of rednecks. Not exactly my cup of tea. But there's an assassination, a couple of interesting characters, and I'm hooked. The pacing is quick, the twists and turns somewhat unpredictable, and the details fascinating. I devoured it in one marathon sitting. Well done!

I have read Steve Berry's entire Cotton Malone series, and it's one of my favorites, so I was curious how I would find this standalone book. It did not disappoint! The characters were well-developed, I liked that it took place in a small town, and while it didn't have constant action, its slow-burn kept me engaged the entire book. I also thought the idea of the priority list was unique. I sure hope that's not happening in the real world! While Cotton Malone is by far my favorite character, I definitely found a new one in Brent Walker. I also thought it was neat how this was one of his first manuscripts that he just recently updated for publication.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

THE LIST - I thoroughly enjoyed this well written and intriguing book with its interesting characters and immersing story lines. The idea of a "Priority List" used in this fashion was a novel idea. I definitely want to read more books from this author. Source: Netgalley. 5*

Review: The List by Steve Berry

Steve Berry delivers another sharp, tightly plotted thriller with The List. this novel packs all the hallmarks of Berry’s style — relentless pacing, smart twists, and historical intrigue woven into a modern conspiracy.

The story follows a fast-moving chase filled with danger and deception, where nothing is quite what it seems. Berry’s crisp writing and attention to detail make for a quick but satisfying read, perfect for fans of action-driven thrillers.

If you enjoy suspense with an intellectual edge, The List is well worth adding to your reading queue.

Not your typical Steve Berry novel, with its detailed historical research and religious artifacts. This is a stand alone thriller in the vein of John Grisham or David Baldacci, although there is still some fascinating history woven throughout. The characters are well developed and the pacing kept me turning the pages. Some unexpected twists kept me guessing and I will certainly read any additional thrillers Steve Berry writes. Highly recommended

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

Ten years have passed since Brent Walker left his home town after his wife committed suicide. His father has passed away and his mother has a new health diagnosis. The story starts of with details of his dad's death, which was not accidental. The local paper mill has its own way of dealing with keeping their costs down--especially where their retirees are concerned. The story is not a "cozy", but a definite "on the edge of your seat". Well written as always by Mr Berry. Interesting note, he started writing this, put it away, then took it out again years later. Definitely did not disappoint. Many thanks to NetGalley, Mr Berry and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The List is a new stand alone novel by Steve Berry that is a fast paced thriller. When Brent Walker returns home from Atlanta after being away for several years he gets a job at the paper mill as associate legal counselor. The paper mill is about to have negotiations on a new contract with the employee union led by Brent's old friend Hank Reed. Hank is trying to get an upper hand in the negotiations and uses his connections to try and access some protected files. When there is a glitch in the system he gets what he wanted and more. He obtains a file that contains a list of numbers and asks Brent if he can help him decipher what they are in the hope that they can provide him with some leverage in the negotiations. Instead it puts him, Brent, and the ones they love most in the crosshairs.

This novel is different from most of Steve's novels in that it is a stand alone, but also doesn't really contain any history like most of his other novels do. This isn't a bad thing and is a bit refreshing for a change to not have all the historical details. The novel is a great ride that ultimately comes full circle. I would recommend this to fans of his past books as well as those who just love a good thriller.

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

#NetGalley #TheList