Book about a small town lawyer who ends up in court charged with the murder of one of his clients after preparing her will and power of attorney. Proclaiming his innocence, he sets out to find the real killer. Good page turner but a little slow at times. I found it interesting because it demonstrates how hospitals lawyer up to hide malpractices and also how juries can so easily convict innocent people.

This novel was a legal thriller that I absolutely enjoyed reading! This was my first book that I have read by this author and I am grateful that I found a new thriller author that I love! He did an amazing job writing this book, it is easy to read and exciting! This is a whodunit book that has a very big twist! I would say this is more of a slow burn thriller, which is perfect for me! It had vivid descriptions, a clear thesis and was thought provoking! It was very atmospheric and had me guessing who did it throughout the entire book!

I really enjoyed the legal drama aspect of the thriller, it made it seem more realistic! It is emotional, suspenseful, full of small town secrets and full of courtroom tension. I was fully immersed while reading this book! It had me at the edge of my seat the entire time! This book also comes with mystery, both unlikable and likable characters and is a slow to medium paced read. I was satisfied with the entire novel, especially the ending! Overall, I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars!

I think fans of legal thrillers would absolutely love this book! Content warnings include death and murder.

Thank you to NetGalley, author John Grisham and Doubleday Books for this electronic ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be published on October 21, 2025!

Eleanor, a lonely widow, comes into the law office of Simon Latch with a simple request, she needs a will. This should be a very simple request, a cut and dry process for which Simon usually charges $250. But as Eleanor begins to talk with Simon, what started out as very simple soon becomes quite complicated.
Eleanor had already hired Simon's competitor to prepare a will for her, but she was not satisfied with his work. She felt that he was cheating her and taking advantage of a wealthy widow, so she wanted Simon to do a will for her. Simon was elated! Maybe finally his luck was going to turn, and he was going to finally get ahead. Yes, things were going to change for Simon. Major changes were coming, and Simon would be facing more trouble than he could have ever imagined.
This legal thriller will take you from pampering and dining an old widow, to murder charges, and courtroom convictions. Another great courtroom drama with twists from John Grisham.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

If you haven’t ever read Grisham’s work here what to except. Courtrooms and lawyer drama. Very well written.

Sometimes there are books that you want to hurry and get to the end or books that you skim through. I just couldn’t do it with this. I hang on every page to read it fully. The way Grisham writes is so captivating I cannot explain. Why I’m so invested of this story when simply put it shouldn’t even interest me. Now I’m sitting on the edge of my seat reading this story not being able to stop.

Now I have to wait until the publishing day and buy hard copy of this since my husband wants to read it too.

Recommended to all Grisham fans. Read the blurb and you will get the vibe of the book.

I have been a big fan of John Grisham since The Firm. His latest, The Widow, combines a mystery with his classic courtroom drama, adding in some quirky characters and twists. I found it started as kind of a slow burn as the stage was set and then the pace picked up quickly and there was no putting it down until the last page.

John Grisham is the master of legal thrillers, and his foray into murder-mystery did not disappoint. This soon to be published story had the lawyer/courtroom drama you expect from Grisham and the twists and turns that you want from a good murder mystery.

Was the protagonist, Simon Latch, the as sleezy as he makes his fellow small town layers to be, is he a good guy, or is he just a sucker for lonely rich women? And poor Elenore, a widow in her 80s, living simply yet having a multimillion dollar estate that her late husband left her and needing a lawyer she could trust to write up a will that will prevent her awful stepsons from getting any of the money. At a Christmas get together with her friends, Elenore had a bit too much to drink and ended up in a car accident which put her in the hospital. She seemed to be getting better, then came down with a respiratory illness and died. Seemed to be cut and dry death of natural causes until a mystery caller to the police indicated it might be a suspicious death. And all the signs pointed to Simon as the murderer. Was he? Maybe. You will have to read the book to find out!

I would like to thank NetGallery and the publisher Doubleday for the advanced copy of this book to read. I really enjoyed it.

John Grisham never disappoints. This book had more twists and turns than actually possible. It is a fantastic book.

Simon Latch is a small time lawyer in rural Virginia. His world is crumbling at the seams, making ends meet is becoming more and more difficult and his marriage is a complete sham. When an elderly widow comes in to have him draw up her will, he suddenly sees a way out of his predicament. Eleanor is rich without any family and if he writes up the will carefully, he might be able to take advantage of her wealth. Succumbing to greed, Simon bends over backward to keep the lonely widow happy, but when she dies under suspicious circumstances, Simon is charged with her murder. Innocent, Simon must now find out what really happened before he spends the rest of his life behind bars. John Grisham is back with an intriguing case and his signature court room drama in his newest book The Widow. A page turner that has you rooting for Simon throughout, so prepare to stay up late finishing this one! Thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for an ARC of this book

I was curious to read a murder mystery by my favorite legal author, knowing he is going to deliver a well-written novel, but this was even better than I ever imagined. Simon is a small-town small-time lawyer who dreams of that one client to make him rich and when Eleanor Barnett enters his office he thinks his prayers have been answered. What actually happens becomes his worst nightmare when his client dies and anonymous suspicion falls directly on Simon. Can he prove his innocence? Simon's entire world begins to crumble and he's determined to prove that he didn't commit that awful murder. This book delves into how our legal system and social media corrupt our concept of guilt. Can the real killer be found before Simon's life is completely ruined or worse? Grisham makes the legal maneuvers interesting and shows that Simon is just an everyman trying to get ahead when he's blindsided by this murder charge. We as a society are prone to automatically assume the guilt of the accused, at the cost of the presumption of innocence. We get to see behind the curtain, warts and all. It's an ugly view but a fascinating perspective.

Another great novel from John Grisham -- this one features Simon Latch, a small town Virginia lawyer who although intelligent, and maybe once ambitious, has settled into a mediocre private practice where he barely makes ends meet. His marriage is falling apart, he fears losing his three kids, and he's developed a serious gambling problem that has him owning a lot of money to a local bookmaker. In short, he's a mess. When Eleanor Barnett walks through his door, he feels he's found the answer to his prayers. Eleanor is a wealthy widow who is in need of a new will. Simon's eyes pop out when she tells him how much money is involved -- millions! And who knew? Eleanor lives very modestly. And she has no heirs. Simon is a little bit shady, and he keeps his dealings with Eleanor secret from his secretary and everyone else in town. He writes a will that makes sure he is the executor and head of her "foundation". Fundamentally, he's not a bad guy, just desperate and worn down by life. No spoilers here -- but when Eleanor dies, things do not turn out the way Simon had planned. This book is hard to put down, and Simon is a complicated character, which keeps us guessing. I look forward to recommending this book. It has many enlightening things to say about people who may be unfairly accused of crimes.

What if you are innocent and no one believes you? Publishing on October 21, 2025, The Widow by John Grisham centers on Simon Latch, a small-town Virginia lawyer who must find a way to clear his name after being accused of murdering client Eleanor Barnett, an 85-year-old widow. Grisham’s longtime involvement with the Innocence Project directly informs the themes and emotional core of The Widow, even though the novel itself is a fictional “whodunit.”
Barnett comes into Latch’s office in need of a new will. Another lawyer in town gave it a try, but she is not satisfied with his work. While Latch usually charges $250 for a simple will, he sees a bigger paycheck as the widow claims to have great wealth. Greed drives him in this seemingly good fortune as he struggles to pay his bills and hold his marriage together.
Seeing a need to protect this woman’s wealth, Latch endeavors to draw up an expansive will setting up a plan for the distribution of her assets upon her death. Over a series of lunches he puts on his own tab, Latch extracts information from Barnett to create this last testament.
What Latch struggles to validate is the expanse of her wealth. He begins to wonder if she understands just how many assets she actually possesses. When it comes to the ones she can leave her fortune to, the answers to his questions make clear she has no one in her life other than two greedy stepsons with whom she has no relationship.
When the widow is involved in a car accident in which she is at fault, other legal documents become necessary, which Latch creates—at the urging of a concerned nurse--and is forced to have her sign while in the hospital where she is recovering from her injuries. Then the unthinkable happens and everything goes off the rails.
Latch’s efforts to prove himself not guilty of the widow’s murder is anguishing as he faces circumstantial evidence in the role he played in the death. Grisham uses his experience representing clients wrongly accused of crimes to illustrate how legal missteps and flawed evidence can threaten lives.
Latch finds himself on the brink of ruin as his already struggling practice nets not nearly enough to pay a highly recommended defense lawyer. Even closing his practice and selling the building will only make a dent in much needed finances. He finds it hard to believe that any jury could convict him because he is innocent of committing the murder and the evidence is only circumstantial.
The Widow, though fictional, carries forward these concerns as it portrays an innocent man racing to reclaim his reputation and prove his innocence in court. The Widow is less about who committed murder and more about how easily the wrong person can end up in the crosshairs.
Fans of Grisham’s earlier legal thrillers will find comfort in the familiar rhythm of courtroom drama, while newcomers may be surprised by the novel’s emotional resonance. Grisham is a board member of the Innocence Project, a nonprofit devoted to exonerating wrongly convicted individuals. Grisham made a name for himself with his very first novel, A Time to Kill (1989), followed by other court procedural novels that made him king of the modern legal thriller.
My review will be posted on Goodreads starting July 25, 2025.
I would like to thank Doubleday Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

A mediocre small town lawyer with a pending divorce, a lonely widow with a multimillion dollar fortune, secrecy, greed, murder, and wrongful conviction. What’s not to like? You’ll want to read this one as soon as it hits bookstores in October. Grisham never disappoints. This ARC was provided by Doubleday Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It has been a really long time since I've read a John Grisham novel.....years. What I do remember about the last couple that I'd read were that they were really good. Exciting and dramatic legal thrillers. So, I was excited to read his latest thriller.

The thing that became apparent really quickly was the pacing of this novel.

It. Was. Slow.

In fact, if it hadn't been an ARC, I just might have DNF'd it - it was that slow.

The novel begins by introducing us to the MMC Simon Latch. A small town attorney who is just there. He is NOT a compelling character. You don't really love him, nor can you truly hate him. He is just there. Is he flawed? Absolutely. But, even his flaws are boring.

The book paddles along until maybe the 60% mark and slowly things begin to change. I kept waiting for the "drama" to begin, and there was some, but honestly, the only time I was definitely invested was at the very end of the book when Latch had the 30 day deadline. That is when things finally got interesting.

The other issue that I had with the story was the ending. It felt like the book was missing a couple of chapters - or at least an epilogue. I seriously kept trying to see if I was missing pages. There were still several issues in the story that were left hanging and the ending felt sudden and forced. Maybe I really was missing pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. This book will be out for publication on October 21, 2025.

Compelling legal thriller....... with a heart, The Widow blends courtroom drama with emotional depth. Grisham delivers a layered story about justice, loss, and resilience, with characters you truly care about. The pacing is smooth, the twists satisfying, and the message lingers long after the last page. A must-read for Grisham fans.

Oh, what fun “The Widow” is! John Grisham has created a wonderful character in the eponymous character who leads a couple of small town greedy lawyers on a merry chase to take control of her millions. But does Eleanor Barnett really have millions? That’s for them to discover and the search for the truth takes us on a fun ride. Not so much for Simon Latch, the estate attorney accused of her death, but I don’t want to give away any more of the plot. There are lots of surprises here, and Grisham does a masterful job of storytelling. I’m always up for a John Grisham novel, and for me, this is one of his best.

Get ready for a thrilling ride with John Grisham's latest, The Widow! The undisputed master of the legal thriller ventures into new territory with his first-ever whodunit, and it's an absolute triumph that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

The story introduces Simon Latch, a small-town lawyer struggling with debt and a crumbling marriage. His luck seems to change when he meets Eleanor Barnett, an elderly widow who claims to be sitting on a secret $20 million fortune. What begins as Simon's chance at a payday quickly spirals into a nightmare when Eleanor mysteriously dies, and Simon finds himself accused of her murder. With the circumstantial evidence stacked against him, Simon must race against time to uncover the real killer and clear his name.

Grisham proves he's just as skilled at crafting a confounding murder mystery as he is at courtroom drama. The pacing, especially in the second half, is taut and relentless, pulling you deeper into the intricate plot. While the characters, including Simon, are complex and flawed, you'll find yourself completely engrossed in their journey. The twists are smart, well-timed, and truly unexpected, leading to a satisfying conclusion that will leave you floored.

Readers are calling The Widow a "fantastic story," "unputdownable," and a "great thriller" that's "well written, interesting, intriguing, and immersing." If you're a long-time Grisham fan or simply love a gripping legal mystery with a compelling whodunit at its core, The Widow is a must-read. Don't miss this fresh and exciting chapter from a legendary storyteller!

I was expecting a courtroom setting with the possibility of crooked attorneys. I was not disappointed. A small-town Virginia attorney is tempted to the dark side by an elderly lady who claims to be wealthy and in need of a revision to her will. A recent will made by this attorney's competition, whose office is located right across the street, contains a large payout to the originator of this first document. New attorney drafts a new will. Something happens to this lady and the new attorney is blamed for her murder. He is accused of her murder, is found guilty, and lands in jail. The murder mystery investigation is led by himself and that is the balance of the story. I think this work has got to be headed for a Hollywood treatment of some kind. Very entertaining and well written as usual. My thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy.

The Widow by John Grisham is a gripping, slow-burn legal thriller blending courtroom drama and emotional depth. The story follows a woman seeking justice after her husband’s mysterious death, unraveling secrets buried deep within small-town politics and legal corruption. Grisham delivers his signature tension, but with a more personal, introspective twist. The plot builds steadily, layering suspense with character-driven moments that feel raw and real. While it’s not as fast-paced as some of his earlier work, it's still a solid read. If you like legal mysteries, this is a compelling, thoughtful read with just enough twists to keep the pages turning. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

I loved this book from the minute the widow walked into Simon Latch's office. She has a vast fortune because of timely stock choices her late husband made and is looking for someone to help her manage it. This is chum in the water for a lawyer who charges $250 to write wills for people. The mystery was beautifully revealed and I loved the characters and their motives. I highly recommend this one!
I obtained this book through Net Galley and have left an honest review.

“Legal intrigue and lawyers behaving badly”
As a fan of John Grisham since A Time to Kill, I was delighted to hear that he has written a new thriller for me to enjoy. Grisham has built his reputation and fan base on courtroom dramas, though, and this book was proclaimed to be his first whodunit. Uh oh! If you have the same reaction, relax.
The Widow may be Grisham’s first whodunit, but it is classic John Grisham. The protagonist is small-town lawyer Simon Latch, and a significant part of the book takes place in a courtroom. The big difference is that Latch is the defendant, charged with murdering his wealthy client, widow Eleanor Barnett, after setting up papers that give him significant control over her assets after her death.
The writing was as good as ever, and I was enjoying it, but since this was purported to be a whodunit, I wondered when the murder would occur. Readers have plenty of time to get to know the characters and possible suspects, because the murder does not occur until almost halfway through the book.
As usual for Grisham, the best parts of the book take place after Latch goes to trial, and it was fun to work along with him to try to figure out who murdered the apparently wealthy widow. The answer was clever, but I was disappointed. I do not believe readers will be able to solve the mystery, which to me means it is not a whodunit.
If you approach The Widow with the expectation of reading a legal thriller, there is a lot to enjoy in The Widow. If you want a book that gives the reader a chance to solve the mystery, then save this book for another day.
I received an advance review copy of The Widow from Doubleday and Netgalley.